‘Great escape’: Biker narrowly escapes elephant attack on Bandipur highway

Team Udayavani, Oct 19, 2024, 12:58 PM IST

In a close call, a biker narrowly escaped an attack by a wild elephant on the Bandipur highway in Gundlupet. The incident, which took place near the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, came to light after a video of the event went viral on social media.

The biker was riding from Ooty toward Mysuru, unaware of the elephants standing by the roadside. As he rode past, one of the elephants charged at the bike. In a panic, the biker abandoned his bike in the middle of the road and ran toward the side, where two more elephants were standing. Fortunately, the elephants did not attack, and the biker managed to escape unharmed.

After the incident, the elephant and its calf returned to the forest. A nearby car driver captured the entire episode on his mobile phone, commenting on the biker’s “great escape.”

The video has since gone viral and is being widely shared, especially on WhatsApp statuses.

Responding to the incident, Bandipur Assistant Forest Conservator Naveen Kumar stated that the incident occurred on the Bandipur-Ooty road. He emphasized the need for caution when riding through the wildlife sanctuary.

“If elephants are spotted on the roadside, people should avoid taking photos or videos and maintain a safe distance. Mother elephants with calves can be particularly dangerous, and there’s a high risk of them charging at passersby,” he warned, urging travelers to be vigilant to prevent such incidents.