Wild tuskers go on rampage, two dead

Two persons were killed when elephants went on rampage in two villages in Bankura on Monday.

A herd of elephants from Radhanaghar range entered Basantapur and Tentulara villages on Monday morning. Finding the tuskers damaging crops and huts, the villagers tried to send them back to the forest. An elephant started chasing a 53-year-old farmer Santosh Bhattacharya. Instead of running away from the place, the farmer tried to restrict the elephant from damaging crops in his land. The elephant trampled down Bhattacharya and damaged crops in his field.

Local people failed to rescue Bhattacharya right at that moment apprehending attack by the tuskers. The elephant went on damaging valuables and entered the adjacent Tentulara village.

In the village they damaged several huts and paddy store rooms. The tuskers also damaged the hut of Madhab Das. 

An elephant attacked Das when he tried to scare away the elephants. He was also trampled by a tusker.

Both Bhattacharya and Das were taken to hospital where they were declared brought dead. The forest department officials reached the spot but failed to send the animals back to the forest. 

The elephants were present in the villages till late evening. People turned homeless as most of their houses were damaged.   

The villagers have decided not to sleep in their houses on Monday night apprehending attack by the tuskers. 

“We are taking necessary measures to prevent tuskers from taking any more lives and from damaging the crops,” the official said.

At Jamuria in Burdwan an elephant ran amok by damaging valuables and some houses. The road remained blocked till late in the afternoon as the tusker was found running on the road. The elephant even tried to push some lorries which were parked on the road. 

The forest department official, however, has managed to send the elephant back to the forest.  

It may be recalled that on February XII a-middle-aged man Naren Roy was killed and four were injured when a wild elephant ran amok in Siliguri city and its adjacent villages. The incident had led to a huge damage in the area.