Man Killed in Elephant Attack in Siliguri Sector of Darjeeling District
Ninth Elephant Attack-Related Death in Kurseong Forest Division This Year
A resident of the Darjeeling district's Siliguri sector perished early on Sunday in an assault by an elephant.
After going outside to respond to a call from nature, Minu Oraon, 58, of Mourijote in Hatighisa, under the Naxalbari police station, was ambushed by a wild elephant that had entered the area from the nearby Bagdogra forest.
"The elephant pursued him and crushed him to death," a Kurseong Forest Division officer said.
He also said that a herd of around a hundred elephants was roaming the jungles of Naxalbari and Bagdogra at the moment.
Elephants come into the settlements on the outskirts of the woodlands every night. Our goal is to reroute the animals into the woodlands. To deter the elephants, the locals have been given searchlights and fireworks. The terrible situation occurred in spite of these protective measures, the forester said.
According to government regulations, foresters promised his family that they would get a financial settlement of Rs 5 lakh.
Additionally, one of his family members will be hired by the state forest agency.
This is the ninth incidence of an elephant attack-related death in Kurseong Forest Division this year.
"Elephants often go into fields to eat paddy. We use searchlights and explode crackers to try to stop the herds. Sometimes it works, but other times elephants advance and attack instead of retreating. This occurred today, Sunday," a Mourijote resident said.
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