Karnataka Horror: Tourist Dies After Clash Between Dasara Elephant At Dubare Elephant Camp | WATCH

A 33-year-old Chennai-born tourist has died after getting caught during a sudden clash between two trained elephants at Dubare Elephant Camp in Karnataka’s Kodagu district, sparking outrage and prompting renewed calls for better measures for tourists and animals alike in India’s wildlife tourism.

She was bathing in the Cauvery river with the two elephants, Kanjan and Jai Marthanda, when an altercation between the pair left one of them in splintered motion, causing chaos among the oncoming crowd.

Video footage and Eyewitness Accounts Go Viral And Outrage Ensues

The incident is said to have taken place on May 18, 2023, in front of a number of tourists coming near the Bayesian idols at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district.

Several videos, images, and eyewitness accounts went viral on social media accounts, sparking outrage and condemnation over the way wildlife tourism is organized and conducted in India.

What happened in Dubare Elephant Camp?

According to reports, the incident took place during a routine elephant bathing function in Dubare camp. The two elephants, Kanjan and Jai Marthanda, were brought by their handlers to the Cauvery river for bathing.

The elephants began to be more aggressive with each other and started attacking each other by pushing one another. The onlookers were shocked and panicked. Suddenly, one of the elephants fell down and towards the area where the tourists were. An undignified Chennai-born tourist was caught and suffered fatal injuries on the spot.

Officials were quick to move the body of the suicide victim to a nearby hospital while forest department officers ensured to control the elephants and clear the area.

Elephants involved identified

The elephants involved in the incident were named in the reports as Kanjan and Jai Marthanda, two well known elephants from Karnataka’s famous Dasara celebrations. The elephants were trained and under certain camps and were involved in tourism activities associated with elephants camps and festivals in Karnataka.

Jai Marthanda was reported to have sustained injuries to its head, ears and back during the incident, before the two animals were successfully separated by the handlers.

Worries over tourist safety and animal welfare

The incident has intensified worries over the safety of tourists and that of the animals staying in wildlife camps and safari attractions across India. “I wonder if they allow tourists to approach so close to a tiger for a photo, bathe or be seen on a video,” wrote one user on the social media site “Reddit”.

Eshwar Khandre, Karnataka forest minister, who said he was deeply saddened by the incident, said authorities were directed to put “stronger” safety measures in place in the camps. Officials are expected to review rules and advisory for tourist entry near the elephants and check whether they are allowed to touch, approach or feed the animals.

Debate over wildlife tourism in India

The tragedy intensified the debate over animal captivity and wildlife tourism online. Some animal rights activists and several users on the social media platform “Reddit” tweeted that the constant presence of humans with cameras, loud cries and public performances for tourism may generate stress and fear in captive animals and result in unpredictable and erratic behavior.

While many called for stricter regulations of safari tourism and elephant camps in the country, some users were of the opinion that better maintenance of crowds and instructing them to behave appropriately and better safety measures along the borders is what’s needed instead of outright bans. Forest officials are expected to conduct an inquiry into the incident in the next few days.

Also Read: She Was Drug Addict: Twisha Sharma Death Case Takes Shocking Turn, Ex-Judge Mother-In-Law Denies Harassment Charges

Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available reports, eyewitness accounts, social media videos, and official statements available at the time of writing. Details surrounding the incident may evolve as authorities continue their investigation. Readers are advised to follow official updates from local authorities and the Karnataka Forest Department for confirmed information.