- A 33-year-old woman was crushed to death by two fighting elephants at the Dubare elephant camp in Karnataka, southern India, while observing them being bathed.
- The incident, which was captured on video, caused panic among tourists and sparked outrage over the close proximity allowed between visitors and the animals.
- Following the tragedy, Karnataka's forest minister, Eshwar B Khandre, described the event as 'shocking' and ordered a detailed inquiry into the circumstances.
- New regulations have been immediately implemented, banning selfies, touching, feeding, or bathing elephants, and requiring tourists to observe elephant bathing from a minimum distance of 100 feet.
- The incident has reignited long-standing concerns from animal welfare groups regarding the commercialisation and stressful conditions faced by captive elephants in India.
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