Woman killed after getting trapped between 2 fighting elephants
What's the story
A 33-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu was killed after an elephant fell on her at the Dubare elephant camp in Karnataka's Kodagu district. The incident took place when tourists had gathered near the river to watch the elephants, Kanjan and Marthanda, getting a bath. According to officials, the two trained elephants, Kanjan and Marthanda, began fighting when their handlers were washing them.
Safety measures
What happened
The mahouts tried to control the animals without success. Kanjan allegedly charged at Marthanda during the struggle. As Marthanda lost her balance, she toppled Tulasi, who was watching them at close range, and became trapped beneath the elephant. The 33-year-old woman died on the spot due to the impact, officials said.
Twitter Post
Trigger Warning! Video shows woman getting stuck
Graphic warning - Wild Animals aren’t entertainment. A domestic tourist in India lost her life after two elephants started to fight at an Elephant Camp. pic.twitter.com/iRq9VFpXdN
— G̲r̲e̲e̲n̲ C̲o̲a̲l̲i̲t̲i̲o̲n̲ N̲e̲t̲w̲o̲r̲k̲ ™ 🌏 (@greencoalition) May 18, 2026
Safety concerns
Minister calls incident 'deeply disturbing'
The incident has raised serious concerns about tourist safety during wildlife interaction activities at the camp. Dubare is a popular tourist destination, especially among families and wildlife enthusiasts who come to see trained elephants up close. Karnataka Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre called the incident "deeply disturbing" and "extremely painful." He extended his condolences to the victim's family and ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.
Safety measures
Close-contact tourist activities with elephants restricted
Minister Khandre also directed forest officials to tighten safety measures around elephants and other wildlife at tourist sites. He noted that even trained elephants can behave unpredictably, making it hard to predict their behavior. In light of this incident, authorities are now restricting close-contact tourist activities with elephants at Dubare camp. These restrictions include touching elephant trunks, standing beside them for photographs, bathing them and feeding them items like bananas or jaggery.