Three people, including a woman, were trampled and killed by two wild elephants in three separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district on Monday (May 19, 2025).

According to officials, the three incidents took place between 6 and 8 a.m. in the Beohari forest area while the three locals were collecting tendu leaves in the jungle.

Beohari forest sub-divisional officer R.S. Dhurve told The Hindu that two wild elephants from the neighbouring Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve are believed to have killed the locals. 

“They arrived in Beohari early this morning, attacked people in three villages, and entered the Sanjay Dubri National Park around 8 a.m. We are coordinating with the authorities there, and they are tracking the elephants,” Mr. Dhurve said, adding that initial assistance has been provided to the families of the victims.  

The victims were identified as Umesh Kol, 40, attacked at Sanousi village; Devganiya Baiga, 67, attacked in her village, Dhonda; and Mohanlal Patel, 85, in Barachh village, Beohari sub-divisional police officer (SDOP) Ravi Prakash Kol told The Hindu.

Inquest begins

“We have initiated an inquest, and post mortem exams have been conducted,” he said. 

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav condoled the deaths and said a Forest Department team has been instructed to probe the incidents. He also announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh to the families of each victim.

“Very sad news has been received about the death of three villagers in an elephant attack on villagers who had gone to collect tendu leaves in Shahdol district. The forest department has also been instructed to investigate the accident,” he said. 

Mr. Dhurve also said that while wild elephants from the BTR and Sanjay Dubri do venture into the forests in Shahdol during paddy crop season in September-October and wheat season in March-April, they have never harmed humans. 

“They have a set route through which they move, but we believe that the two elephants went off route in search of food. Since the fields currently don’t have any crop ready, they ended up around these locals who were collecting tendu as it is the leaf collecting season,” he said.