Elephant Marthanda Dies a Day After Fatal Clash at Kodagu’s Dubare Camp

Video grab of the incident involving captive elephants at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district on Monday. File photo.

Madikeri: A day after a violent clash between two captive elephants at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district led to the death of a woman tourist from Chennai, the injured elephant Marthanda succumbed to its injuries on Tuesday morning.

The death of the 53-year-old elephant has left mahouts, kavadis and Forest Department staff at the popular tourist destination in mourning. Marthanda had suffered severe injuries during a fight with another captive elephant, Kanjan, while the animals were being bathed in the Cauvery river on Monday.

The incident had also claimed the life of a tourist from Tamil Nadu, who was caught in the chaos when the elephants turned aggressive during the bathing session, a major attraction for visitors at the camp near Kushalnagar.

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Kodagu district in-charge Minister N. S. Boseraju described the incident as a tragic and unforeseen event. He said steps would be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future and instructed district authorities to strengthen safety measures at elephant camps.

The Minister also expressed grief over Marthanda’s death, stating that the elephant had been battling for survival after sustaining critical injuries in the clash. He announced that the Forest Department would provide compensation of ₹20 lakh to the family of the deceased tourist.

Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre also conveyed condolences over the deaths of both the tourist and the elephant, terming the incident “unexpected and unimaginable”.

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Marthanda, a makna elephant weighing around 4,500 kg, had been captured in Hassan district’s Alur taluk in 2023. Kanjan, aged 26, was captured near Yeslur in Hassan district in 2014 and had participated in the renowned Mysuru Dasara celebrations on three occasions.

Following the tragedy, Khandre directed the Forest Department not to deploy Kanjan for future Dasara festivities.

The incident has sparked fresh concerns over visitor safety at elephant camps across Karnataka. In response, the State government has initiated a review of existing safety protocols and is considering stricter regulations for tourists visiting such camps.

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