Tourist death case: K'taka govt announces compensation; minister calls for strict guidelines
Bengaluru, May 19
Karnataka Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology and Madikeri District In-charge Minister N.S. Boseraju on Tuesday directed the Madikeri district administration to strictly enforce guidelines at the famous Dubare Elephant Camp following the tragic death of a woman tourist during a clash between captive elephants in the camp.
In a press release, the Minister expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
"I have discussed the matter with the Madikeri Deputy Commissioner, senior officials of the Forest Department and the Police Department and obtained preliminary information regarding the incident. I have instructed officials to submit a comprehensive report on the exact cause of the incident and whether there was any lapse in the management of tourist guidelines," the Minister stated.
Keeping tourist safety in mind, the Minister directed officials to implement strict safety guidelines. "Officials and staff must ensure that these guidelines are mandatorily followed by everyone. The district administration should take appropriate precautionary measures," he clarified.
The Minister further noted that it is impossible for anyone to accurately predict the behaviour and reactions of wild animals. Therefore, tourists visiting forest areas and elephant camps must strictly follow the instructions issued by the Forest Department. While observing animals, visitors should maintain a safe distance and exercise extreme caution regarding their own safety, he appealed.
It can be recalled that in a tragic incident, a woman tourist from Tamil Nadu was killed on Monday after coming under a captive elephant that was fighting with another elephant at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Karnataka's Madikeri district.
The deceased was identified as 33-year-old S. Juneshe. Her husband, Joyal, sustained severe injuries in the incident and has been shifted to the Kushalnagar Government Hospital for treatment.
According to police, the couple had arrived at the Dubare Elephant Camp on Monday morning. They initially got photographs taken with the trained elephants. Later, they ventured into the waterbody along with other tourists while elephants were being taken for a bath by mahouts. The tourists were also participating in cleaning and bathing the elephants.
While the tourists were engaged in the activity, two captive elephants, 'Marthanda' and 'Kanjan', suddenly started fighting with each other. Despite repeated attempts by the mahouts to control them, the elephants continued fighting.
During the commotion, Marthanda reportedly fell on Juneshe, killing her on the spot and seriously injuring her husband.
— IANS
Reader Comments
My deepest condolences to the family. As an American who visited Dubare last year, I was surprised by how close tourists were allowed to get to the elephants. In the US, there would be much more stringent barriers and protocols. This is a wake-up call, not just for Karnataka but for all states with similar attractions.
😢 Such a tragic loss. The minister's response is good, saying strict guidelines will be enforced. But let's be honest, we've heard this before. How many times have we seen accidents at wildlife parks and then officials promise action, only for it to be forgotten after a few months? I hope this time real change happens.
I'm from Karnataka and have been to Dubare many times. The mahouts are usually very careful, but these are still wild animals at the end of the day. The problem is that tourists often ignore instructions and get too close for selfies. I feel for the family, but also we must respect nature's boundaries. Compensation won't bring her back.
Incredibly sad. As someone who travels regularly to India from Australia, I've noticed that safety regulations at many tourist sites are often lax compared to international standards. The minister is right about not predicting animal behaviour, but having clear safety zones and constant monitoring would have prevented this. Hope the guidelines are enforced strictly, not just announced.
My heart goes out to the husband who lost his wife and was also injured. This is really unfortunate. At the same time, I think we need to ask bigger questions: should we be using captive elephants for tourism at all? These are not props for photos. We need more ethical
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