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Journalism of Courage
A dramatic incident unfolded in Karnataka’s Bandipur Tiger Reserve when a wild elephant stomped on a tourist who was trying to take a photograph of the animal. The video is circulating on the internet, sparking a backlash against the man and a conversation about interfering with wildlife.
Shared by Daniel Osorio, the viral video shows the elephant charging at the man and running after him before stomping on him. Osorio, who recorded the video, shared details of the harrowing incident on a road connecting Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The tourist wrote that the elephant was calmly eating carrots he had picked up from a truck and that cars patiently waited for it to finish. However, the man in question flashed a camera at the elephant for a close-up shot. Irked by the flashlight, the animal attacked him.
“Signs along this road clearly state that visitors must remain inside their vehicles. This incident is a strong reminder to follow the rules of wildlife reserves and to let trained authorities — not people on foot — handle situations like this,” the caption read.
Watch the video here:
The video quickly drew attention and was widely circulated across all social media platforms. Criticising the man, a user wrote, “Deserved, all the elephant did was to protect itself,” a user wrote. “Stop behaving like animals. Just google the top speed of an elephant, then compare it with your own & be thankful that they usually just mock-charge!” another user commented.
“When you run away from an animal this is what happens to you. You must stand up, confront it, and scream,” a third user reacted.
In another incident, a video of an elephant attacking a car near the toll plaza gate on the Dehradun-Haridwar Expressway has emerged on social media.
