Elephants trample teenager to death

A teenager was trampled to death by a herd of elephants at Badamara panchayat of Chakulia in East Singhbhum on Thursday morning.

The victim, Dharma Mardi  (17), was attacked by a herd of 11 elephants which had entered the place from bordering Bengal. Mardi had gone to a farm near his village Jwalbhang to collect cashew nuts when the tragedy took place. 

According to Chakulia range officer Gorakh Ram, the elephants had surrounded the youth and later trampled him to death.

 “We are investigating the incident as per our information the herd had entered the Chakulia forest range from Bengal last night. It had remained anchored in the field since early morning,” he added.

The body of the youth has been sent to Chakulia sadar hospital for post-mortem. The Chakulia range office handed over a sum of Rs 25,000 to the family of the deceased for his last rites.

“As per our rules rest amount of Rs 3.75 lakh would be given as compensation to the victim’s family in due course of time. The state government pay compensation of Rs 4 lakh for death in elephant attacks,” the range officer said.

Bahragora JMM legislator Kunal Sarangi later met the  family of Dharma at his village. He assured of all possible help.

“As we cannot stop the elephants from migrating from one jungle to another, but can safeguard the villages from the tuskers' attack on the villages as well  as the paddy fields, we have set up separate teams for tuskers- driving wherever the chances of the menace is maximum,” said another forest official.  People are in state of havoc due to such menace. Sometimes villagers migrate to safer places for a week or more to avoid the sudden night-time attacks of the wild elephant herds.