Two killed in separate incidents of attacks by elephants

Korba: Two persons were killed in separate incidents of attacks by elephants in Surajpur district in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, a Forest officer said today. "Both the incidents took place in the forests between Singhra and Pandopara villages under Pratappur forest range of the district on March 29 evening," the officer said, adding that the incidents came to light last morning. In the first incident, Ramdhani (33), a native of Singhra village, was travelling on a bicycle carrying a sack of 'mahua' flowers when he was attacked by the pachyderm.

Prima facie, the elephant was attracted towards Ramdhani by the strong smell of mahua flowers (used in making alcoholic drinks by locals), the officer said. In another incident, a government school peon, identified as Jagsai (55), was returning to his native village Ghutrapara from Kevra village, when an elephant attacked him and stomped him to death. The kin of the deceased have been given an instant relief amount of Rs 25,000 each, the officer said.

"There is a report of the presence of 16 elephants in the area, and the villagers have been advised not to venture inside the forest," he said, adding that forest personnel were making efforts to drive away the herd from the area.

Thickly-forested northern Chhattisgarh, comprising Surguja, Surajpur, Korba, Raigarh, Jashpur, Balrampur and Korea districts, is notorious for conflicts between humans and elephants. The region has witnessed several killings of tribals and widespread damage to the houses and crops by rogue pachyderms in past years.