Elephant Charges and Tramples Tourist in India After Selfie Attempt (video)

An angry elephant charged at a tourist and trampled on him after he tried to take a selfie

An Indian tourist was severely injured after being trampled by a wild elephant while attempting to take a selfie in a restricted forest area near a temple in Karnataka, southwest India.

The man, identified as R. Basavaraju, reportedly entered the protected zone on Sunday and tried to pose for a photo with the massive animal. Witnesses said the elephant had been peacefully eating carrots by the roadside when Basavaraju approached. A sudden camera flash appeared to startle the animal, triggering an aggressive charge.

The man was filmed running for his life from the elephant

Terrifying footage, recorded by onlookers, shows the elephant suddenly flinging its trunk and charging across a busy road, narrowly missing a moving car as it pursued the fleeing tourist. Basavaraju stumbled and fell in the roadway, giving the elephant time to catch up and stomp on him repeatedly. The attack was so forceful it tore off his pants and underwear before the elephant moved away, allowing him to escape.

Despite the brutal encounter, Basavaraju survived but was hospitalized with serious injuries. He was fined 25,000 rupees (just over £200) for trespassing and violating wildlife safety rules. Authorities also required him to record a video confession acknowledging that his reckless behavior stemmed from ignorance of proper safety protocols.

The elephant catches up and stomps on him several times - managing to take off his underwear in the attack

Witness Daniel Osorio described the incident as a cautionary tale for visitors, stressing the importance of obeying wildlife reserve regulations and leaving animal handling to trained professionals. The Karnataka Forest Department condemned the stunt, warning that such actions not only endanger human lives but also provoke unpredictable and dangerous animal responses.

India is home to approximately 30,000 wild elephants — around 60% of the global Asian elephant population — making human-wildlife encounters a persistent challenge in rural and forested areas.

This latest incident follows a string of recent animal attacks in India, including a leopard mauling in Madhya Pradesh last year. In that case, a leopard charged a picnic gathering of about 60 people in Shahdol, injuring three, including an off-duty police officer and a woman who sustained major head wounds. Video footage from that attack showed the predator leaping from the trees and pouncing on its victims before fleeing.