What began as a routine elephant bathing session at Karnataka’s famous Dubare elephant camp turned tragic after two trained elephants suddenly fought near visitors, leaving a 33-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu dead, a PTI report stated. Officials said the woman was crushed when one of the elephants lost balance and fell during the clash.
The incident took place in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, where tourists had gathered near the river to watch the elephants being bathed. According to officials, the two trained elephants, Kanjan and Marthanda, started fighting while handlers were washing them in the water.
Elephant lost balance during clash
Officials said mahouts tried to stop the animals, but the situation escalated quickly. Kanjan reportedly charged at Marthanda and rammed into him during the struggle. As Marthanda lost balance and collapsed, Tulasi, who was standing nearby watching the activity, became trapped underneath the elephant.
She died on the spot due to the impact, officials said.
The sudden incident shocked visitors and staff at the camp, which is a popular tourist attraction known for elephant interaction activities.
Minister orders detailed investigation
Karnataka Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre described the incident as deeply disturbing and said it was “extremely painful.” He expressed condolences to the victim’s family and ordered a detailed probe into the tragedy.
The minister also directed forest officials to tighten safety measures around elephants and other wildlife at tourist sites.
According to a statement from his office, Khandre said even trained elephants can behave unpredictably, making it difficult to fully understand or anticipate their reactions at any moment.
New restrictions likely after incident
Following the tragedy, the minister instructed authorities to restrict close-contact tourist activities involving elephants. These include touching elephants’ trunks, standing beside them for photographs, bathing elephants, and feeding them items such as bananas or jaggery.
He also asked officials to ensure visitors maintain a safe distance from wildlife to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Dubare camp attracts large numbers of tourists every year, especially families and wildlife enthusiasts who visit to observe trained elephants up close. The latest incident has once again raised concerns over tourist safety during wildlife interaction activities.
(Inputs from PTI)
