Stock photo of camel. Credit / Shutterstock
A camel in India reportedly severed the head of his owner, killing the man who left the creature tethered for hours in extreme heat, with no water or shade.

In 2016, a camel, tied with its legs bound in sweltering temperatures topping 120 degrees, finally snapped—turning a hot afternoon into a headline-grabbing tragedy no one in the village will soon forget.

The incident took place in the Barmer district of India, a desert region already infamous for its punishing climate. According to reports, temperatures had soared past a blistering 109 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving both humans and animals gasping for relief.

But for one unfortunate camel, there was no escape

Tethered in the scorching sun for hours without water or shade, the animal’s patience – and perhaps its spirit – finally snapped.

Distressed camel
Times of India reports that the camel’s owner, identified as Urjaram, had been entertaining guests inside when he suddenly remembered his animal had been left outside, tied up and helpless under the brutal sun.

Witnesses say the camel had been visibly distressed, pacing and growling – an eerie warning of what was to come.

When Urjaram finally approached to untie the beast, the camel erupted in a fit of rage that shocked everyone.

Revenge
What followed was nothing short of gruesome.

Eyewitnesses described the horrifying moment when the camel lunged, grabbed Urjaram by the neck, and flung him to the ground.

“The animal lifted him by the neck and threw him on to the ground, chewed the body and severed the head,” a local told the publication of the animal, who reportedly bit into the man’s body repeatedly, even severing his head in front of stunned villagers.

But the violence didn’t end there. The camel continued its rampage, refusing to calm down. It took 25 villagers nearly six hours to finally restrain the frenzied animal, using ropes and a truck to drag it away from what was left of Urjaram.

What makes this even more disturbing is that several locals claimed this wasn’t the first time the two had clashed. There was, according to them, a long-standing tension between the owner and the camel – a storm waiting to break.

Gentle giants
While camels are often seen as gentle giants – valued for their loyalty, endurance, and ability to thrive in harsh desert conditions – this tragedy has sparked a serious conversation about animal welfare and human responsibility.

Experts warn that while camels are generally docile, they can become dangerously unpredictable when mistreated or pushed beyond their limits.

Crushing strength
Animal behavior specialists have pointed out that despite their relaxed appearance, camels are powerful creatures.

Weighing up to 2,200 pounds and armed with muscular jaws and deadly kicks that can strike in all directions, camels – Bactrian (two humps) and dromedary (one hump) – are far from harmless when provoked.

A camel expert told the Sun: “A full grown adult can fit your head, arm, leg or torso in its mouth. They have enough strength to crush arms and legs along with your neck, while kicking forwards and backwards.

“Camels will do a combination of all those things while kneeling forward to crush you.”

Camels fight back
Incidents of camel attacks, though rare, have been recorded worldwide, most recently in 2023 when a Bactrian retaliated against his owner, who struck the “peaceful” camel in the face after tugging strongly on the animal’s rein.

According to the Sun, the creature trampled his owner to death at a children’s holiday camp in Siberia.

“The animal did not appreciate such treatment,” said a local report, per the Sun.

Then, in March 2022, two men trying to capture a camel who escaped from a petting zoo were cornered and killed by the beast. The animal then tried to attack police as they loaded the inured men into an ambulance.

Before that horrifying incident, another camel charged at the owner of a wildlife sanctuary in Mexico.

“The camel kicked and bit him practically to death, and when he was almost dead, he sat on him,” The Sun reported of Richard Mileski, 60. “Between the blows and the weight of the camel on top of him, he was asphyxiated.”

These stories stand as a brutal reminder that animals, no matter how domesticated they seem, have breaking points. Treat them with kindness and respect and you’ll get the same in return!

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