Fact Check: Video of a tusker attacking an excavator is not an incident from Hyderabad but West Bengal

The Supreme Court stayed the felling of trees on the 400 acres of land in Kancha Gachibowli near the Hyderabad Central University. In an interim order, it directed the state Chief Secretary to ensure that no cutting of trees takes place till further orders. The bench, comprising of Justices Bhusahn R Gavai and AG Masih, also ordered the Registrar (Judicial) of Telangana High Court to conduct an on-site inspection and submit an interim status report.

Meanwhile, a video showing some deer walking around and an elephant attacking a demolisher vehicle is going viral with the claim that the wild elephants came to attack the bulldozers sent by the state government. In the video, we can mainly see a huge elephant attacking an excavator and trying to damage it.

The caption shared along with the video reads: “విధ్యార్ధులు చేస్తున్న యుద్ధానికి తోడుగా గజరాజుల తోడు #SaveHCU”

When translated, it claims: “In support of the students protest, wild elephants also started fighting the government”

Some users shared the video with the caption “గజరాజుని పిలవండిరా”, along with #HCUVoicesForNature #HCU #HCUForestMatters #hcubiodiversity hashtags.

Here is the archive link to the claim.

Fact Check:

The claim is False. The viral video does not show a wild elephant attacking an excavator at Hyderabad Central University. This incident took place in West Bengal on February 1, 2025.

When we extracted keyframes from the viral video and searched using Google reverse image search, we found some media reports that confirmed that it is not recent and is not related to Hyderabad.

A YouTube video published by a channel named Ben Sojo in February 2025, with the title “You won't believe what happens when elephants get mad”. The description of the video states that it shows “an elephant is seen attacking a tractor, which is demolishing its home. Could this destruction be the trigger that pushed the elephant into a rage? It’s a rare and terrifying sight that reminds us of the power these creatures hold when they feel threatened.”

An Instagram user shared the longer video, stating, “Elephant hit JCB, machine shook!

The JCB machine and the crowd of people were chasing the elephant, the angry elephant hit the JCB so hard that the whole machine shook. The video is going viral on social media.”

According to an article published in News18, in a shocking incident in West Bengal, a wild elephant, allegedly provoked by locals, attacked an excavator. The gentle giant said to have emerged from the Apalchand Forest in search of food was reportedly harassed and chased by locals. In response, the agitated elephant charged at them and then targeted the construction equipment, including a JCB machine and a nearby watchtower. The incident, which occurred in the Damdim area of West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri on February 1, has been captured on camera and widely circulated online.

The viral video shows the gentle giant ramming the JCB machine while the driver attempts to frighten it with the excavator’s bucket. Meanwhile, the onlookers present there can be seen rushing dangerously close to the animal and chasing it as it tries to flee, further escalating the situation.

NDTV reported that the video of the incident showing the massive elephant ramming the JCB machine while the driver confronts it using the excavator's bucket has gone viral. Bystanders can be seen rushing towards the elephant, chasing it as it turns to flee. Local media reported that the elephant suffered injuries to its forehead and trunk, while no one else was injured.

One man has been arrested by the police for allegedly provoking the wild tusker, and the JCB machine was subsequently confiscated. The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with demands for accountability and awareness about coexisting with wildlife.

Hence, the viral video is an old one and is not related to Hyderabad. It shows an elephant attacking a JCB, in a village in West Bengal on February 1, 2025. The claim is False.