Horror as teen girl trampled to death by wild elephant | World | News
A 17-year-old student was killed by a wild elephant in front of her parents in India. The incident in southern India’s state of Karnataka triggered angry demonstrations and demands for stronger protection against animal attacks. Pooja, a pre-university student, was walking home to her village on February 28 when the elephant charged from behind and trampled her to death.
Her mother heard her cries but could not intervene, while her father returned moments later to find his daughter fatally injured. The teenager’s body was taken to Government Hospital in Madikeri for a postmortem.
A district forest officer visited the family and assured them the elephant would be tracked and captured. Authorities later announced compensation of Rs 20 lakh (£16,236) for Pooja’s relatives.
News of the attack quickly spread, and on Sunday, villagers, farmer groups and local political supporters blocked a national highway for more than two hours, causing traffic chaos.
Protesters demanded immediate government action to curb rising wildlife attacks, which is an ongoing problem in India. Figures from Karnataka’s forest department show a persistent pattern of human-wildlife conflict in the state, Dunya News reported.
In the past five years, at least 254 people have been killed in attacks by wild animals, 42 of them in 2024-25 alone. Elephants, tigers and leopards account for nearly 70% of those deaths.
Kodagu, known for its coffee plantations and forested terrain, has long struggled with human–wildlife conflict as expanding settlements push into elephant corridors.
Meanwhile, the latest tragedy has reignited debate over conservation policies and safety measures in the region, with residents urging the state to balance wildlife protection with human security.
