Kochi | The Kerala High Court on Friday sought a report from the state government regarding the incident of two elephants running amok during a temple festival in Kozhikode district the previous day.

A bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and Muralee Krishna S also directed the livestock official of the Guruvayur Devaswom Board to appear before the court with relevant documents, including the feeding records of the two elephants.

The court further sought the stance of the Forest Department and the police on the incident and listed the matter for hearing on February 17.

The issue was taken up during the hearing of a pending petition filed by a Canada-based Malayali, seeking directions for the proper care of elephants owned by the Guruvayur Devaswom Board.

The elephants loaned by the Board to the Manakulangara Temple near Koyilandy in Kozhikode district ran amok during the festival on Thursday evening, resulting in the deaths of three elderly persons including two women.

The incident was triggered by the bursting of crackers during the temple festival.

The agitated elephants initially attacked each other and during their fight hit a nearby building within the temple premises, causing a wall to collapse on people standing there leading to the fatalities, according to the police.

The elephants then fled the temple premises, causing a stampede as the festival crowd scattered in panic, resulting in injuries to over 20 people.