Man killed by wild elephant while attempting selfie along Chandala-Mendha Road
A 35-year-old man was attacked and killed by a wild elephant on July 8 at around 6:00 PM while attempting to take a selfie in the Chandala forest area along the Chandala–Mendha Road, approximately eight kilometres from Gadchiroli. The victim, identified as Dhanraj Punjiram Madavi, was a resident of Mendha.
According to reports, Madavi was riding his bicycle along the road when he noticed a group of bystanders who had gathered near the forest area. The onlookers were watching a wild elephant that was partially hidden among the trees and were recording videos of the animal on their mobile phones.
Upon seeing the crowd, Madavi stopped to join them. He reportedly attempted to take a selfie with the elephant alongside the other onlookers who had assembled at the spot.
However, the elephant suddenly grew aggressive and charged toward the gathered crowd. While several people managed to run away and escape the charging animal, Madavi was unable to flee in time and was fatally attacked.
Following the tragic incident, personnel from the forest department and local police reached the scene to conduct a panchnama. The death of Madavi has created a sense of fear and heightened safety concerns among the residents living in the surrounding localities.
Forest department officials reported that the elephant had strayed away from its herd, which consists of about 30 wild elephants. The animal had been roaming through the Gurwala, Vihirgaon, and Chandala areas for the past five to six days. Officials also believe there is a tusker among the herd.
In response to the incident, the forest department has issued a safety warning, appealing to local citizens not to gather to watch the elephants. Authorities have urged the public to avoid making loud noises, blowing vehicle horns, or engaging in any activity that could disturb the wild animals. Officials noted that many people regularly ignore these warnings, resulting in avoidable and unfortunate incidents.
