Wild elephant kills two people in Bhagalpur

Shortage of water and drying of leaves in forest area due to summer heat is causing elephants to deviate from their traditional migration route

Two persons were killed by a wild elephant in Pirpainty block of Kahalgaon subdivision and in the adjoining area of Sahebganj district in Jharkhand during the last three days. 

Villagers drive away an elephant which had strayed in Khalgaon area of Bhagalpur district from Godda district of neighbouring Jharkhand state.(HT FILE PHOTO)

Ramsakal Mandal (55) was trampled by an elephant last Saturday night while he was on his way to his maize field located at a distance from his house. 

This is the second incident since March when pachyderms have attacked human beings.

Grievously injured Mandal referred to the medical college hospital and he succumbed to injuries enroute. SHO Pirpainty Parshuram Singh, confirming the incident, said earlier on last Friday, the elephant had killed an aged man in Lalbathani, a diara village in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand located close to Bakaharpur diara of Pirpainty block. 

Following the elephant’s attack, a sense of fear has gripped the residents. Forest department officials said that the elephant was driven back to the forest area of Sahebganj district on Sunday evening by a team requisitioned by department from Bankura in West Bengal consisting of people having expertise of driving away elephants. 

However, possible reentry of pachyderm in the area is not ruled out totally. “Shortage of water and lack of food is causing deviation of elephants from their traditional migration route passing through forest tract falling under Sahebganj and Godda districts of Jharkhand,” said regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF), P K Gupta said. “Leaves of trees have dried up due to summer heat is leading to deviation of elephants from their migration route. Human interference in the forest area is also leading to deviation of pachyderms form migration route,” he added. 

Gupta said the standing maize crop in the area adjoining the riverine belt besides easy availability of water is a major attraction that is contributing to straying of elephants towards villages located in the riverine belt. Gupta said the tusker that had strayed into the area last week was the same that had been on rampage in month of March in areas falling under Kahalgaon block of subdivision.  

S Sudhakar, divisional forest officer (DFO) said that it has been decided that the team requisitioned from Bankura would remain here for next few days so that services of team could be taken immediately in case elephant renters in the area.