2 rhinos charged at tourists in Bengal's national park; 8 people injured

A beautiful safari at Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal recently turned into a nightmare for seven tourists after their vehicle was hit by two rhinoceroses. The seven tourists who were excited to embark on a safari adventure hopped on the safari jeep and headed into the jungle.

They were hoping to catch a glimpse of the park's famous one-horned rhinoceros. As they were driving down the road, they noticed movement in the bushes adjacent to the road. Two rhinoceroses were engaged in a fierce fight, and the tourists quickly grabbed their cameras to capture the moment. They had no idea that this would turn out to be a disastrous decision.

The two rhinoceroses charged toward the safari jeep. The driver, Kamal Gazi, tried to start the engine and escape but the jeep skidded off the road and fell into a tunnel adjacent to the road. The impact of the fall was severe, and all seven tourists were injured. Some suffered from broken bones, while others had bruises and cuts. The driver, Kamal Gazi, suffered minor injuries, but the shock of the incident was evident on his face.

I think it’s about time guidelines for safety and rescue in adventure sports are implemented in wildlife safaris across the country. Safaris are becoming more of adventure sports now!
Jaldapara today! pic.twitter.com/ISrfeyzqXt

— Akash Deep Badhawan, IFS (@aakashbadhawan) February 25, 2023

The forest department officials quickly arrived at the scene and rushed the injured tourists to the local Madarihat health center. Two of them were in critical condition and were shifted to the Alipurduar district hospital. The officials were stunned by the incident since rhinos charging toward tourist vehicles have never been reported before in the Jaldapara national park.