Shocking moment elephants fight each other before turning on the crowd and injuring dozens as they go on the rampage at Indian religious festival

This is the shocking moment two elephants fought each other before turning on crowds and injuring dozens of worshipers during a religious festival in India.

Thousands of devotees had gathered at the Tharakkal Hindu temple for the Hindu procession in the city of Thrissur in Kerala, southern India, on Friday evening.

But the elderly bull named Guruvayur Ravikrishnan got irritated and lashed out at another elephant Puthuppally Arjunan.

The two elephants began to fight before charging through the gathered crowd.

This is the shocking moment two elephants forced to fight turned on crowds and injured dozens of worshipers during a religious festival in India

The older bull named Guruvayur Ravikrishnan got irritated and lashed out and another elephant Puthuppally Arjunan

Mahout Sreekumar, 53, narrowly escaped three attempts by the animal to attack him. He was injured and taken to a private hospital in Koorkenchery.

The video shows one of the elephants attacking the other as they lock their tusks and get into a bit of a fight.

The crowd begins to run from the incident as others intervene to control the commotion.

The elephants continue to stomp around the procession as people run away.

Officials said dozens of attendees were injured as they tried to flee but fell as the elephants charged toward them.

The rampaging elephants were both captured about half a mile from the event, officials said. The pair were subdued and secured.

Authorities are now investigating the cause of the incident

The subcontinent is home to at least 30,000 wild elephants – more than any other country and about 60 percent of the world’s entire Asian elephant population.

Many more elephants are kept in captivity in India.

They are used for religious events and weddings.

Officials said dozens of attendees were injured as they tried to flee but fell as the elephants charged toward them