Cases of man-animal conflict increase during lockdown

Darjeeling: Man-animal conflict is on the rise in North Bengal with the lockdown resulting in fewer vehicles on the roads and less crowd, the wild animals specially elephants and leopards have been venturing into human settlements.

On Monday the carcass of an adult elephant was spotted in the Baikan-thapur forest division. According to villagers, the carcass was spotted in the paddy fields in Maharajghat area of Takimari Char. Sanjay Dutta, Ranger, Belakoba range and head of the special task force stated, "Prima facie the elephant died of electrocution. However, the cause of death can only be ascertained after the post mortem. Eight persons have been de-tained in connection with the incident and being questioned" stated Dut-ta.

It is a common practice of the villagers of areas adjacent to forests to put up electric fences to protect their farms and fields. It is believed that the elephant could have been electrocuted owing to a live wire fence.

In another incident, five houses were damaged by an elephant in the Damdim Gram Panchayat area adjacent to the Targhera forest in Jalpai-guri district. "We are keeping a close watch on the movement of this ele-phant. The persons whose houses have been damaged can claim for cor-poration from the forest department" stated Bibhutibhushan Das, War-den, Malbazar squad.

In a similar incident, an elephant damaged two shops, the kitchen of a house and a godown in the Bamandanga tea garden in the Jalpaiguri dis-trict. Locals burst firecrackers to drive the tusker back into the forest.

There was an incident of leopard attack on Monday, in which two per-sons were injured. The incident occurred at the Project Tea Garden in the Kumlai GP under the Mal Block of the Jalpaiguri district. Basanti Rai and Anuj Mahato were working in the garden when the leopard sprang at them. Later when they started shouting, the leopard disappeared in the bushes. The two were then sent to the Malbazar Super Specialty hospital for treatment.