# Elephant charges at people with torches in paddy field 2026-08-10T14:37:46+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A video shared by Dr PM Dhakate, Special Secretary to the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, shows a wild elephant charging at a group of people in a paddy field. The people were trying to scare the animal away with torches, but the elephant moved rapidly through knee-deep mud and trampled some of them. Dhakate warned that an elephant's broad feet allow it to accelerate quickly even in soft ground, making a safe distance an illusion. The footage, credited to Shyam Oraon and Santosh Lakra, highlights the risks of approaching or provoking wild elephants. Dhakate advised people to give elephants plenty of space, avoid surrounding them, and ensure an open escape route. He said shouting, waving torches, or throwing firecrackers can terrify the animal and trigger a defensive charge. ## Coverage - indiatoday.in Tags: elephant, Human-wildlife conflict, paddy field, safety, Uttarakhand, viral video Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/elephant-charges-at-people-with-torches-in-paddy-field/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/elephant-charges-at-people-with-torches-in-paddy-field/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.