Tragic death of trainer prompts crackdown on illegal safaris

A one-tonne elephant killed its trainer. Moments before the tragedy, the man struck the animal with a bamboo stick, trying to force it to obey. The cameras recorded everything.

The drama unfolded on Thursday in the Kallar area in the Kerala region of southwestern India at a private safari facility. A terrifying video showed how a one-tonne elephant stepped on the mahout (elephant caretaker and driver), who was lying on the ground. Then, it threw the man's body to the ground. The 62-year-old trainer, M. Balakrishnan, died. The attack occurred after the trainer tried to force the elephant to obey a command.

As reported by "Daily Mail," after the death of the 62-year-old man, an investigation was initiated. The Forestry Department ordered the urgent closure of the safari. The authorities emphasized that closing the park was necessary to ensure the safety of visitors, mahouts, and elephants and to investigate any potential violations of safari operation regulations.

According to local reports, the elephant's owner was A. H. Jalaludin, a resident of Erumeli in the Kottayam district. The elephant was on safari on a farm in Kerala, in the village of Devikulam Taluk in Anaviratty.

The elephants in the facility where the tragedy occurred were not registered with the Indian Animal Welfare Board, a mandatory requirement for animals used for entertainment purposes. According to the "Free Press Journal" portal, the elephant involved in the incident had previously exhibited aggressive behaviour towards the mahout.

The district administration said they would address the problem and not allow illegal safari facility operations. The Forestry Department announces regular inspections and strict actions against centres operating without a permit or those found to be violating existing laws.

Authorities are appealing to the public to report any illegal facilities. This aims to prevent similar incidents and ensure the safety of mahouts, visitors, and animals.