Chhattisgarh: Youth Trampled To Death By Elephant While Taking Selfie; Schools Shut, Security Tightened

Surguja: A youth was trampled to death by an elephant while attempting to take a selfie, police said on Tuesday. They said that the incident took place near Khairbar village, on the outskirts of Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh's Surguja, after a herd of 25 elephants entered the area, creating widespread panic among residents.

According to eyewitnesses, the elephant herd crossed the National Highway at Luchki Ghat before reaching Lalmati village, where the youth, identified as Raj Kumar Nayak, lost his life. Nayak, a resident of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, was employed locally in a gas cooker manufacturing unit. Despite repeated warnings from forest and security officials, he approached the elephants to film a video and was attacked.

Forest Department Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Jenibes Kujur said the elephants entered the Surguja Forest Division from Surajpur on October 8. Initially located in the Sakalo Forest, the herd moved toward Khairbar and Lalmati on Monday. He said, "As soon as the elephants crossed the highway, traffic was stopped to allow them to pass. We repeatedly urged people to stay away, but the youth ignored the warnings and went close to the herd."

Speaking to ETV Bharat, a CAF soldier, Shiv Singh Rajput, who witnessed the incident, said the victim and three friends had been warned multiple times. He said, "There were four youths, aged 20 to 22, who had come from Bhopal to earn a living. We repeatedly asked them to move away. They hid near bushes to record a video. When the elephants noticed them, they started running, but one person fell. The elephant charged at him, crushed him with its feet and killed him."

Currently, 25 elephants remain in the area, damaging crops. The Surguja district administration and forest teams are working together to monitor their movement and drive them back into the forest. The education department has also declared holidays for nearby schools as a safety precaution.

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