Alipurduar: An elderly woman was trampled to death by a stray tusker on Thursday morning in Jogendranagar village under Purba Kathalbari Gram Panchayat in Alipurduar I block, triggering widespread tension in the area.
The incident took place around 6:30 am when 65-year-old Sachibala Debnath had gone to a nearby field to tie her goat. Unaware of the presence of a wild elephant hiding in a maize field, she was suddenly attacked. The tusker charged at her, killing her on the spot.
The tragic incident sparked outrage among villagers, with tension escalating over the alleged delay in the arrival of forest officials. Police from Sonapur outpost reached the spot to recover the body, but the situation intensified as angry residents demanded immediate action.
When forest personnel later arrived, they were confronted by the agitated crowd. According to sources, two forest officials were allegedly assaulted, prompting swift intervention by police and central forces, who brought the situation under control.
Officer-in-Charge of Sonapur outpost, Mingma Sherpa, rushed to the spot with a large police contingent. Senior forest officials, including Rajib Chakraborty, Range Officer of Jaldapara South Range, and Ayan Chakraborty, Ranger of Jaldapara West, also reached the village and held discussions with locals.
The situation gradually eased around 11 am after the Forest Department announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the victim’s family. However, discussions between villagers and officials continued over the recurring issue of elephant intrusions in the area.
Meanwhile, the body was sent to Alipurduar District Hospital for post-mortem.
Divisional Forest Officer of Jaldapara Forest Division, Parveen Kaswan, said: “An elderly woman died in an elephant attack in the Purba Kathalbari area. The situation was brought under control through discussions. Any loss of life is unfortunate. As per government norms, compensation will be given to the deceased’s family.”