The elephant was drowning in the Mahanadi river in the Cuttak district in Orissa province. Das, alongside his cameraman and five rescue workers were on a boat which overturned. The reporter drowned, unable to be resuscitated. The cameraman was injured and one rescue worker died, as well as another who was pronounced missing.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/odisha-journalist-dies-odraf-elephant-rescue-mahanadi-river-1857008-2021-09-25