Daijiworld Media Network – Kodagu

Kodagu, May 18: In a tragic incident, a female tourist from Chennai lost her life after two tamed elephants engaged in a sudden, fierce fight at the Dubare Elephant Camp. A video of the chaotic clash has since gone viral on social media.

The deceased has been identified as Jinshu (33).

According to reports, tourists often enjoy the experience of feeding the elephants while they are being bathed in the river. Jinshu had approached the elephants to feed them during their bathing session. Unexpectedly, two tamed elephants began fighting with each other, triggering widespread panic.

Chaos during bathing session

As one elephant aggressively attacked the other, terrified tourists began running to safety. In the ensuing confusion and panic, Jinshu lost her balance while trying to escape and fell into the water. The volatile situation made immediate rescue difficult.

Noticing her fall, alert locals quickly jumped into the river and managed to pull her out. Though she was rushed to the hospital for immediate medical treatment, she unfortunately did not survive.

A case regarding the incident has been registered at the Kushalnagar police station.

Minister Khandre orders probe, bans direct contact

Expressing deep shock over the incident, forest minister Eshwar Khandre termed the tragedy "extremely painful" and prayed for the departed soul, offering his condolences to the grieving family.

Following the incident, the minister ordered a comprehensive investigation and directed officials to implement strict measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. He noted that even well-trained elephants and wild animals can behave unpredictably, making it difficult to anticipate their reactions at any given moment.

Consequently, forest minister Eshwar Khandre has directed officials to immediately ban tourist activities that involve direct contact with the animals. This includes touching the elephants' trunks, standing next to them for photographs, participating in their bathing, and feeding them jaggery, bananas, or other food items. He further instructed the authorities to ensure that all tourists strictly maintain a safe, designated distance from the wildlife.