A two-wheeler rider trying to escape from a wild elephant on the S-Valavu bend near the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A two-wheeler rider narrowly escaped a wild elephant attack on the Munnar-Udumalpet National Highway on Wednesday morning. According to officials, the incident occurred on the S-Valavu (S-Curve) bend near the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.A wild tusker, locally known as Virikompan, was standing in the middle of the road. Upon noticing the animal, other motorists safely stopped their vehicles on the roadside to wait for the tusker to move into the forest. However, a two-wheeler rider attempted to ride along the edge of the road.Spotting the moving vehicle, the tusker suddenly charged at the rider. He quickly swerved the vehicle to the side of the road, abandoned it, and fled on foot, narrowly escaping the charging elephant. Passengers on a bus captured the dramatic encounter on video, which has since gone viral on social media.An official from the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary said the incident did not take place within the sanctuary’s jurisdiction. The S-Valavu area falls under the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.“Normally, wild elephants in the Chinnar region do not attack vehicles. The Forest department conducts regular night patrolling along this route to ensure the safety of both people and wildlife,” the officer said.According to Forest department sources, the reckless action of the two-wheeler rider provoked the animal, triggering the aggressive charge. Published - June 03, 2026 08:46 pm IST
