Indore Elephant Attack: Collector Orders Action Against Those Responsible For Bringing Jumbo

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration on Tuesday directed the Forest Department to initiate action against those responsible for allowing an elephant into an urban area, two days after an autorickshaw driver was killed in an elephant attack in Rajnagar.

In an order to the divisional forest officer, Collector Shivam Verma directed that action be taken under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and other applicable laws. He also instructed the department to implement preventive measures to avoid a recurrence and submit an action-taken report.

"It has frequently been observed that elephants are entering 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 such incidents from recurring," the order stated.

The directive came two days after 49-year-old autorickshaw driver Vijay Holkar was fatally attacked by an elephant in Rajnagar under the Chandan Nagar police station limits.

According to police, the elephant had been brought to Indore by a monk from neighbouring Ujjain for a religious programme. After the event, the animal was being taken through Rajnagar when Holkar approached it and offered it jaggery.

The elephant suddenly turned aggressive, wrapped its trunk around Holkar, threw him to the ground and trampled him, leaving him critically injured.

He was rushed to a district hospital and later shifted to another medical facility, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The incident, which triggered panic among residents, was captured on a CCTV camera installed in the locality. The monk and his associates reportedly fled the spot soon after the incident.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotia said a case had been registered against the elephant handler.