Representative image of an elephant.
Credit: DH Photo
Bhopal: In a tragic incident a mahout of a pet female elephant was crushed to death by the same elephant in Bhanpura locality under Chola police station in Bhopal late Wednesday night.
The deceased identified as Narendra Kapadia (55) was sleeping near the pet elephant on fateful night. Another companion reported the matter to the police.
According to information the loud noise of screaming by elephant late in the night awaked other companions including Bhupendra, also sleeping by the side of each other near open ground space.
They noticed that the elephant picked mahout Narendra from his trunk and slammed him. The frenzied elephant grabbed Narendra and dragged him to some distance before crushing with his foot.
Others tried to help and bail out Narendra from imminent danger but in vain. It was too little and too late. Deceased Narendra, who hailed from Satna district and earned his livelihood from donations etc. He in the company of four others and pet elephant roamed places to place for livelihood. They reached Bhopal on Wednesday via Parvalia and were planning to visit Vidisha on Thursday, informed sources.
ASI Rakesh Shukla reportedly informed that after the incident police have taken the elephant into their custody. The elephant now tied with a peepal tree at the back of police station was brought with the help of fellow mahout of deceased Narendra Kapadia. One of the companions has been asked to stay back at the police station to take care of the elephant till the matter is under investigation.