A video clip of a man driving a vehicle close to the Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Chikkamagaluru, provoking wild elephants into charging at his vehicle, has gone viral. The footage has now drawn the attention of Forest Department officials.The 50-second clip shows the driver pointing at a wild elephant before moving his vehicle dangerously close to it. When the animal charges, he quickly steers away and repeats the act.Taking note of the viral video, Bhadra Tiger Reserve officials tracked down and questioned the driver. The officers understood that the incident occurred on Monday. However, it remains unclear whether the incident occurred within the boundaries of the reserve itself or under the jurisdiction of the adjoining territorial forest division.When contacted by The Hindu, Pulkhit Meena, Deputy Conservator of Forests for the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, stated that an initial probe identified the driver as a man named Aakash. He noted, however, that the vehicle had not come through any of the reserve’s official entry points.“We are verifying the details in collaboration with officials from the Koppa Division, an adjoining territorial forest division. It is not yet clear if the vehicle entered the Bhadra area or if the incident took place outside the reserve. We will investigate further and take necessary action if the person has trespassed in the forest area,” the officer said.