Viral: Wild elephants chase 3 men taking selfies in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri

In a terrifying occurrence, three friends in the Lakhimpur Kheri region of Uttar Pradesh narrowly avoided a dangerous scenario after attempting to snap pictures close to a herd of wild elephants. Amidst the chaos, one of men tripped and fell but swiftly regained his footing, leaving behind his mobile phone in the process. Their frantic run for escape as the wild elephants pursued them was shown in the terrifying incident, which was documented in a viral video. The footage of the three men’s dangerous brush with the wild elephants has ignited a discussion on social media platforms.

#UP के लखीमपुर खीरी जिले में #टस्कर हाथियों के झुंड के साथ सेल्फी लेना युवकों को को काफ़ी महंगा पड़ा 🙅 हाथियों के झुंड ने दौड़ाया,यूवको ने दौड़कर बमुश्किल हाथियों से बचाई अपनी जान 😢#वायरल_वीडियो पलिया तहसील के दुधवा टाइगर रिजर्व के पलिया गौरीफंटा मार्ग का है pic.twitter.com/P49c2v1lUo

— Dr.Ahtesham Siddiqui (@AhteshamFIN) July 4, 2023

A bystander captured the incident on their own mobile phone and shared it on social media, where soon gained widespread attention. The trio’s ill-advised attempt to capture a viral selfie with the herd nearly cost them their lives, narrowly escaping the wrath of the enraged elephants. A social media user aptly commented, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” emphasising the recklessness of their actions. Many people are expressing opposing views on human interference with wild animals’ natural habitats. “Play Stupid Games,” another person said. Some users highlighted the problems associated with obsessing over popular selfies, emphasising the serious consequences that come with such careless behaviour. Others, however, rebuked the three for their carelessness and recklessness in approaching a herd of dangerous animals. In a similar incident that took place in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri area earlier, a man reportedly died while attempting to take a photo with wild elephants. Ramkumar, a 27-year-old native of the Kattu Kollai hamlet near Barur, was the victim of this unfortunate encounter.