Trapped beneath fighting jumbos: Woman gets trampled to death

Kodagu/Karnataka: A 33-year-old tourist from Chennai was killed in a horrific accident at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Karnataka’s Kodagu district after being trapped beneath an elephant during a violent clash between two jumbos in the Cauvery River, according to a The Free Press Journal report.

The victim, identified as Jyunesh, had been watching elephants being bathed at the popular wildlife camp when chaos suddenly broke out. Reports said an elephant named Kanchan attacked another elephant, Marthanda, while several elephants were in the river with mahouts and tourists nearby. The fight triggered panic as the elephants began running uncontrollably, while mahouts struggled unsuccessfully to restrain them.

During the commotion, one of the elephants reportedly lost balance and collapsed onto the woman. As the animal attempted repeatedly to stand up again, Jyunesh was brutally trampled beneath its legs, succumbing to fatal injuries on the spot.

A disturbing video of the incident, filmed by another tourist, later surfaced online. The footage reportedly showed a man carrying a toddler while desperately trying to pull the woman away from beneath the elephant, risking both his own life and the child’s safety during the rescue attempt.

Following the tragedy, Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre expressed condolences and ordered stricter safety regulations at wildlife tourism centres. Authorities were directed to prevent tourists from touching elephant trunks, feeding elephants, posing too closely for photographs or participating in elephant bathing activities. Officials were also instructed to ensure visitors maintain a safe distance from elephants and other wild animals.

The incident came weeks after another fatal elephant attack in Chhattisgarh’s Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district, where a 55-year-old man was crushed to death by a wild elephant that continued roaming through the area for days, causing fear among residents.