Biker survives after wild elephant steps on him twice on Indian highway

A motorcyclist in northern India survived a close encounter with a wild elephant after the animal stepped on his stomach and chest twice. He stood up unaided once it moved away.

The incident took place on the Haridwar-Dehradun Highway in Uttarakhand state, near Nepali Farm. It happened at about 4am local time on Thursday, 12 November 2026.

The incident was captured on camera and has since circulated widely on social media.

The biker came face to face with the elephant while travelling along the highway. The animal approached him suddenly before stepping on him.

The elephant stepped on the man’s stomach and chest twice, leaving him pinned beneath its feet. The footage shows him lying on the road as the animal walks over him.

Despite the encounter, the man got back on his feet immediately after the elephant moved away, according to NDTV. He appeared to have escaped without visible injuries.

Footage recorded by passing cab driver

The video was recorded by Shiva Sharma, a cab driver and digital content creator who was travelling through the area. He shared the footage on Facebook, where it quickly gained attention.

Reacting to the incident, Sharma said the route between the cities of Haridwar and Dehradun was easy to travel, but road conditions could be unpredictable because elephants often emerge unexpectedly.

NDTV said Sharma described the man as extremely lucky. He said it would not normally have been possible for anyone to come out alive from beneath an elephant’s foot.

Elephant leaves towards forest

People nearby shouted in an attempt to scare the animal away. The elephant eventually crossed the highway’s safety railing and headed towards the forest.

Passers-by then rushed to help the biker and move him away from the road. People inside a nearby car could be heard remarking on how lucky he was to have survived.

The motorcyclist was taken to a nearby hospital with help from people at the scene. His condition was being monitored. The reports did not name him.

Elephant habitat along the highway

This stretch of the highway is close to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, an area known for its wildlife, including wild elephants. Animals are often spotted near roads in the region.

Elephant sightings near roads in the area are not unusual, particularly around stretches that overlap with the animals’ movement routes.

It said the area around Jolly Grant Airport, which serves Dehradun, is also considered a sensitive zone for elephant movement and forms part of an elephant corridor.