Uttarakhand biker escapes death after elephant steps on him twice on highway

A wild elephant stepped on a motorcyclist twice during an early-morning encounter on a highway in Uttarakhand. The man has miraculously escaped death.An elephant stepped on a biker in Uttarakhand. (Photos: Shiva Sharma/Facebook)New Delhi,Nov 12, 2026 14:10 ISTDeath came frighteningly close to a motorcyclist on a highway in Uttarakhand when a wild elephant stepped on his chest and stomach twice. But in an extraordinary stroke of luck, the man got back on his feet after the animal moved away. The frightening encounter took place near Nepali Farm on the Haridwar-Dehradun Highway at around 4 am on November 12. The biker was travelling along the road when he came face to face with the elephant, which suddenly approached him and stepped on his stomach and chest.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 that shows the man lying on the road as the elephant walks over him. The animal appears to step on him twice before moving away, leaving him on the ground. What makes the incident even more astonishing is that the biker manages to get up moments later, with no visible injuries. People nearby can be heard shouting in an attempt to drive the elephant away. The animal eventually crosses the highway's safety railing and disappears towards the forest. Once it is out of sight, passers-by rush to the biker's aid and help him move away from the road. People inside a nearby car can also be heard expressing disbelief at how narrowly he escaped.Watch the video here:Speaking about the encounter, Sharma pointed out that elephants can suddenly appear on the Haridwar-Dehradun route, making it risky for motorists travelling through the stretch. He also expressed amazement at the biker's survival, given how close the animal had come to causing a serious injury.The highway runs close to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, a protected habitat for elephants and several other wild animals. Elephant sightings near roads in the area are not unusual, particularly around stretches that overlap with their movement routes.The Jolly Grant Airport area and its surroundings are also considered sensitive zones for elephant movement, forming part of an elephant corridor. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks motorists can face when travelling through wildlife habitats, particularly during the early hours of the morning.- Ends