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Five days after an auto-rickshaw driver lost his life due to an elephant attack in Indore, the forest department has filed a case against the mahout and the owner of the elephant for bringing the animal into the district without the necessary permissions. An official from the department provided this information.

The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Lal Sudhakar Singh, informed that the 26-year-old elephant is registered with the forest department, but the required authorization to bring it into Indore was not obtained. He stated that a case has been registered against the mahout, Umesh Goswami, and the owner, Sandeep Nirmohi, under Section 48A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 for transporting wildlife without permission, along with other related provisions.

According to preliminary investigations, the elephant is registered in Bihar but is currently kept in Ujjain. The mahout explained during questioning that the elephant was being transported back to Ujjain from a religious event in Telangana via truck, but after the truck broke down, it was brought to Indore on foot.

The DFO noted that CCTV footage from the incident shows the elephant repeatedly signaling the auto-rickshaw driver to move away by waving its trunk when he approached to feed it jaggery. He emphasized that understanding such signals in a timely manner could prevent accidents.

A police officer reported that on July 26, Vijay Holkar, a 49-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, approached the elephant in the Rajnagar area of Indore to feed it. After the elephant struck Holkar with its trunk, it trampled him, leading to his death during treatment.

The police have already registered a case against mahout Umesh Goswami under Section 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and Section 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animals) of the Indian Penal Code regarding this incident.