Uttarakhand: Kanwariyas flout norms; elephants overturn vehicles on highway

Elephant and her calf, disturbed by loud music and bright lights from camping Kanwariyas, overturned two tractor-trolleys near Manimai Temple on Doiwala-Dehradun highway

Haridwar: A female elephant and her calf, disturbed by loud music and bright lights from camping Kanwariyas, overturned two tractor-trolleys near the Manimai Temple on the Doiwala-Dehradun highway in Uttarakhand on Saturday night before retreating into the forest.

Forest officials have warned pilgrims against camping near forested areas and using loud music or bright lights that may provoke wildlife. (Video grab)

Despite police and other enforcement agencies launching measures to ensure that boomboxes are not played above permissible levels, Kanwariyas continue to flout safety guidelines during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra.

“The elephant likely came near the highway in search of food and was provoked to attack Kanwariya vehicles as it got agitated due to loud music and bright lights. We urge pilgrims not to camp near forest stretches or provoke animals with loud music or lights. We’ve stepped up patrolling in the vulnerable sections, where such sightings have been reported earlier as well,” Lachhiwala range officer Medhavi Kriti said.

The pilgrims had reportedly set up camps adjacent to national highway (NH) 72, approximately 200 metres from the Lachhiwala Toll Plaza, an area surrounded by dense forest on both sides.

Locals said the elephants were first spotted just 20 to 40 metres from the temple. “The Kanwariyas, instead of keeping a safe distance, began flashing mobile lights, recording videos, and even shouting to increase the volume of the DJs mounted on their vehicles. The disturbance prompted the mother elephant to charge at the parked vehicles before retreating into the forest with her calf,” a local said.

“In the chaos, a Kanwariya got injured as people fell over each other trying to escape from the overturned trolleys,” Arun Singh, another resident of the area, said.

Teams from the Doiwala police station and the forest department later secured the area to prevent further escalation.

Wildlife experts have long warned that the Doiwala-Lachhiwala highway corridor lies within an established route used by elephants and other wild animals. “The expansion of this highway into a four-lane road has increased traffic movement and disrupted traditional elephant movement corridors. Loud music, flashing lights, and crowding provoke a defensive response from these animals,” said Gagan Matta, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science at Gurukul Kangri University.

“Elephants typically avoid confrontation and silently pass through human areas unless they feel threatened. Provocative actions can trigger them to attack in self-defence,” he added.

Meanwhile, an elephant was seen wandering through a residential colony in Shivalik Nagar, around 10 kilometres from Haridwar near the SIDCUL industrial area. The area lies 2 km from the Kanwar Patri route and NH-58, which sees lakhs of Kanwariyas passing daily.

Locals reported that the elephant damaged the boundary wall of a community centre and roamed the locality for around 10 minutes, causing panic among residents.

“As soon as the control room received the alert, a forest team was dispatched. The elephant was eventually driven back into the jungle. We have increased vigilance in the area and are reviewing CCTV footage to track animal movement,” forest post in-charge Inder Singh said.