A five-month pregnant woman and her unborn baby were tragically crushed to death by a herd of elephants in Indonesia.
On Sunday, September 8, Karsini, 33, who was pregnant and a mother of three, was working with her husband Rasum tapping rubber trees in South Sumatra when approximately 15 elephants entered their plantation.
Despite Karsini’s attempts to drive the elephants away, the animals, each weighing up to 4,000 kg, charged at the couple and violently trampled Karsini.
After the herd dispersed, villagers in Musi Rawas Regency recovered Karsini’s body from the forest.
Muara Lakitan Police Chief AKP M Abdul Karim confirmed that Karsini, who was five months pregnant, sustained severe injuries to her stomach and waist, with her womb shifted to the left. Her husband managed to escape unharmed.
The region, known for hosting wild elephant herds of up to 100, saw officers from the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) investigate the incident.
Police Chief Karim advised residents to avoid disturbing or attempting to scare away wandering elephants.
He said: “Don’t disturb them, don’t try to chase them away. They are only looking for food. If you see an elephant, immediately move away.”
