10-month-old dies as elephant's trunk topples easybike, mahout arrested

A 10-month-old child has died after an elephant's trunk struck a battery-powered easybike, causing it to overturn in Sadarpur, Faridpur. The accident occurred while a mahout was extorting money from vehicles on the road using the elephant. Police have arrested the mahout and taken steps to hand over the elephant to the forest department.

The incident took place on Tuesday (July 28) afternoon in the Atarshi area of Sadarpur upazila.

Police said Arisha Jannat (10 months), a resident of Algi Union in Bhanga upazila, was being taken to Sadarpur Hospital by her mother on a battery-powered easybike. On the way, a man with an elephant was collecting money from various vehicles. When the easybike driver tried to pass without paying, the elephant's trunk struck the vehicle, causing it to overturn and trap the child underneath. Arisha died on the way to the hospital.

Following the incident, locals caught the mahout, Babul Mia, beat him and handed him over to police.

Sadarpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Abdul Al Mamun Shah said legal proceedings are underway. The forest department has been informed to safely remove the elephant, which will be handed over to them upon their arrival.