Indore Collector orders action after elephant attack kills autorickshaw driver
Indore, July 28
The Indore district administration on Tuesday directed the forest department to initiate action against those responsible for allowing elephants into urban areas after an autorickshaw driver was killed in an elephant attack in the city's Chandan Nagar area.
In an official order issued to the Divisional Forest Officer, General Forest Division, Collector Shivam Verma directed that action be taken against those responsible under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and other applicable laws.
He also instructed the department to ensure preventive measures so that such incidents do not recur and to submit an action taken report to his office.
"It has frequently been observed that elephants are continuously moving into urban areas. As a result, a person lost his life in the recent incident in the Chandan Nagar police station area. Immediate action should be taken against those responsible in accordance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act and other applicable laws, and necessary preventive measures should be ensured to prevent recurrence of such incidents," the Collector said in the order.
The directive comes a day after 49-year-old autorickshaw driver Vijay Holkar died after being attacked by an elephant in Rajnagar locality under Chandan Nagar police station limits.
According to police, the elephant had been brought to Indore by a monk from neighbouring Ujjain to attend a religious event. After the programme, the animal was being taken through the Rajnagar locality when Holkar approached it and offered jaggery.
The elephant suddenly turned aggressive, wrapped its trunk around Holkar, slammed him to the ground and trampled him, leaving him critically injured. He was initially taken to a district hospital and later shifted to another medical facility, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
The incident, which triggered panic among residents, was captured on a CCTV camera installed in the locality. The monk and his associates reportedly left the spot soon after the incident.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia has on Monday said that police have launched an investigation and the mahout has been detained for questioning. He said a case may be registered against the elephant handler, adding that taking the animal into a densely populated residential area without permission could have led to an even more serious tragedy.
Police said further investigation is underway.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Indore Collector's action is good, but we need a systemic change. Forest departments across MP and neighbouring states must track elephant movements better. These animals are losing habitat due to deforestation and urban expansion. The poor driver was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. RIP 🙏
This is heartbreaking. I've read about human-elephant conflict in India, but seeing it happen in an urban area like Indore is shocking. The authorities need to enforce wildlife protection laws strictly. Also, people should be educated about elephant behaviour—offering food to a stressed animal is dangerous.
Honestly, what is an elephant doing in a residential area in Indore? This should never have been allowed. The monk and his group should face legal consequences. Also, why didn't the mahout control the animal? We need stricter permits for using wild animals in religious events.
Such a sad incident. But I'm glad the Collector is taking action. The Wildlife Protection Act exists for a reason. It's time authorities stopped turning a blind eye to such violations. My heart goes out to the driver's family.
This is a wake-up call for all of us. Elephants are wild animals, not props for photo ops or religious events. The driver made a mistake offering jaggery, but the fault lies with those who brought an unpredictable animal into a busy city. Also, CCTV footage is crucial—thank God it was captured.
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