A routine training evening in Pachmarhi turned tragic on Thursday when an Indian Army soldier was fatally attacked by a wild bison on the sports ground of the Army Education Centre. The incident occurred around 6 pm in the hill station of Narmadapuram district, Madhya Pradesh, near forested terrain linked to the Satpura Tiger Reserve.
The deceased has been identified as Akash Chauhan, 26, a resident of Panagarh Dehra near Dehradun in Uttarakhand. He was attached to the 17th Command Regiment and was taking part in a two-year Chinese language training programme at the Army Education Centre in Pachmarhi.
According to the reports, a herd of bison came out of the bushes close to the playground while soldiers were playing football. One animal attacked Chauhan from behind and struck him in the abdomen with its horns, causing serious internal injuries. He was taken to the military hospital in a critical condition, but died before he could reach it. The sudden attack caused panic on the field.
Official confirmation and investigation
Sanjeev Sharma, Assistant Director of the Satpura Tiger Reserve in Pachmarhi, confirmed the incident and said the information had been received from the Army. He stated that Akash Chauhan died after the bison attack and added that while bison herds do sometimes enter the Army campus from the adjoining jungle, this was the first fatal case reported in the area. An investigation is underway.
Gopal Ghasle, the local police station in-charge, also confirmed Chauhan’s death, along with his link to the 17th Command Regiment and the training programme. The postmortem is scheduled for Saturday. No detailed official statement from the Army has been issued so far.
Rising presence of wild bison in Pachmarhi
The death has drawn attention to increasing bison movement in and around Pachmarhi. Local residents said that more than half a dozen wild bison had been seen in residential areas for the past two days, including near Khalasa Hotel on Patel Road. Earlier, a herd had also blocked traffic at a small bridge near Shahid Dwar.
Wildlife officials describe bison, also called gaurs, as large and powerful animals. In the Satpura Tiger Reserve, they can weigh between 400 kg and over 1,200 kg and may become aggressive if provoked. Officials noted that fencing exists in some forest sections, but animals continue to stray into human settlements.
The Satpura Tiger Reserve is known to have a substantial bison population, with earlier surveys recording over 6,600 of the animals. The latest fatal attack has raised concerns about safety for both residents and personnel undergoing training in the area.
