The 2000-pound elephant attacked in an open field of an elephant safari park in southern India.
The incident occurred on Thursday in the Kallar area of the Idukki region of Kerala, shortly after the caretaker, 62-year-old M Balakrishnan, was seen hitting the elephant’s legs and issuing commands.
The heart-wrenching video shows the elephant stomping on Balakrishnan and then grabbing his neck with its trunk, slamming him to the ground.
A second man is seen arriving as the elephant attempts to kick him as well.
Balakrishnan’s body underwent a formal autopsy before being handed over to his relatives for last rites.
An investigation has been initiated against the elephant safari park in light of the tragic incident, leading to its urgent closure mandated by the Forest Department.
Local reports indicate that the elephant’s owner is A H Jalaludin, a resident of Erumeli in the Kottayam district, while the main caretaker was P K Raveendran, a local from Kanjirappally.
The elephant was housed for safari at Kerala Farm in the Devikulam taluk hamlet of Anaviratty.
