Seven persons were injured after an elephant attacked their vehicle on a state highway in Dakshina Kannada district early today, the police said.
The incident was reported from Bilinele on the Uppinangady-Subramanya highway.
The condition of one of the injured is stated to be critical, they said.
The van was plying from Dharmasthala to Subramanya when the driver spotted the elephant crossing the road. The jumbo ran towards the vehicle and attacked it with its trunk, the police said.
The animal, however, ran away reportedly terrified by the loud horn of a bus which was behind the van, they added.