Three women were killed by wild elephants in Jaldapara National Park in north Bengal’s Alipurduar on Thursday afternoon. Another woman was hurt in the attack.
The victims were identified as Chandamoni Oraon (60), Sukurmoni Lohar (55), and Rekha Burman (50).
Nima Charwaoa, in her mid-50s, was rescued by forest guards and taken to the district hospital with broken arms and legs.
The attack happened just one week after the West Bengal government asked the Union government for approval to carry out contraceptive operations on elephants to control their growing population.
There are over 800 elephants in the state, and their increasing numbers have made it difficult for wildlife authorities to manage them. The state is also concerned about the rising number of deaths from elephant attacks.
Forest officials said the victims, along with others from the poor Mendabari village, entered the Chilapata range of the park to collect wood. They entered the forest illegally. Suddenly, they encountered a herd of wild elephants. Some people managed to escape, but the victims and the injured woman could not.
The survivors ran to a nearby village and informed people about the attack. Forest officials quickly reached the scene, where they found the three women dead and badly injured. The injured woman was also found.
In 2023, 23 people were killed in elephant attacks in West Bengal. This year, the death toll has increased to 19, including the three women.
Follow us
