3 of family, neighbour trampled to death by wild elephant in C’garh: Officials

Jitendra Upadhyay, divisional forest officer (DFO) Jashpur division, said that the elephant entered the Bagicha Nagar Panchayat at midnight on Friday and strayed into the village

Published on: Aug 10, 2024, 17:07:27 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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Raipur: At least four people, including three of a family, were killed after they came under attack from a wild elephant in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur, officials aware of the incident said.

The latest incident brings the total number of fatalities due to elephant attacks in the district to nine in the past month.

Officials said that the incident took place in the Gamhriya area of Bagicha Nagar Panchayat on the intervening night of Friday.

The victims were sleeping in their homes when they came under attack. The deceased have been identified as Ramkeshwar Soni (35), his daughter Ravita (9), his brother Ajay (25), and their neighbour, Ashwin Kujur (28).

Jitendra Upadhyay, divisional forest officer (DFO) Jashpur division, said that the elephant entered the Bagicha Nagar Panchayat at midnight on Friday and strayed into the village.

Subsequently, the wild animal damaged the wall of Soni’s house before trampling the trio to death. When his neighbour Kujur heard their screams and rushed to the scene, he was also trampled.

“We were not aware of the elephant entry in our village, and there was no power supply….The elephant damaged the house and killed three people. The villagers raised an alarm, after which the elephant went into the jungle”, said a resident of the village.

Officials said that forest and police personnel reached the incident spot after being informed and retrieved four bodies in the morning and sent them for post-mortem. The families of the deceased have been provided with an immediate relief amount of Rs.25,000, with an additional Rs.5.75 lakh to be given after completing necessary formalities, said officials.

“The forest department has been monitoring the movement of the tusker, which has been causing damage to houses in the area, and plans to relocate it to another location,” the DFO said.

Human-elephant conflict is a growing concern in Chhattisgarh, with the state reporting 104 human deaths and 243 crop damage cases due to elephant attacks in 2022 alone.

In the last one week, eight people have allegedly been killed by wild elephants in Chhattisgarh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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