Kerala: In a tragic incident in Kerala, a mahout was allegedly trampled to death by an elephant on Thursday, June 20. A disturbing video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing the elephant attacking the mahout after he attempted to reposition the animal for a tourist ride.
The video captures the elephant trampling the mahout. The wild animal can be seen trampling the mahout under his feet mercilessly. The mahout's body can be seen dingling as the elephant lifts it before throwing it away as a lifeless skeleton.
Trigger Warning: Visuals Can Be Disturbing. Viewer Discretion Advised
Case Filed After Mahout's Horrifying Death
According to a report by The Hindu, the Forest Department filed a case against an illegal elephant safari centre in Idukki and issued a stop memo following the mahout’s death on Thursday. The victim, 62-year-old Balakrishnan from Neeleswaram, was killed by a cow elephant at Kerala Farm, a private safari centre in Kallar, near Adimaly, around 6:30 p.m.
Officials reported that Balakrishnan was the second mahout waiting to take tourists on a safari when the elephant attacked him. The tourists narrowly escaped harm and the mahout’s body was handed over to his relatives after a post-mortem examination.
The elephants at the centre were not registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India, a requirement for animals used in entertainment. Idukki Social Forestry Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vipindas P.K. stated that the owner was instructed to relocate the elephant to Kottayam, where it is registered under the Forest Department.
According to the report citing sources, 35 elephants are used across eight safari centres in Idukki, but only four are registered with the animal welfare board. The elephant involved in the incident had previously shown aggressive behavior towards the mahout.
Officials React To The Tragic Incident
Idukki Collector Sheeba George reportedly stated that the district administration would not permit illegal safari centres to operate and announced that the Forest Department would conduct regular inspections and take strict action against such establishments. She urged the public to report any illegal centres they encounter.
M.N. Jayachandran, district secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), called for accountability from the Collector and other officials for failing to prevent the proliferation of illegal safari centres. He stressd that, according to a High Court order, elephants must be registered with the animal welfare board to be used in safari centres or for entertainment purposes, a rule often ignored by many centres.
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