Dehradun man survives elephant attack on highway near airport

A wild elephant charging out of the forest onto the Doon-Haridwar Highway near Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun attacked a motorcyclist late Wednesday night, leaving the young rider with a miraculous escape from what could have been fatal.

The elephant forcefully knocked the rider off his two-wheeler, sending both man and machine sprawling onto the roadway. The animal then stepped directly over the fallen man before continuing its path across the highway.

Vehicle headlights and noise from traffic appear to have startled the elephant, causing it to break through roadside railing and return toward the forest after the incident. The exact circumstances that drove the animal out of its natural habitat into the busy highway remain unclear.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenges posed by human-wildlife conflict in regions surrounding Dehradun, where expanding infrastructure and vehicular traffic frequently intersect with elephant corridors and forest habitats. Wildlife officials have not yet commented on whether the elephant was injured or any subsequent follow-up measures undertaken.