Chhattisgarh: Three killed in elephant attacks; nine deaths in September
What's the story
Three persons were killed in elephant attacks in Mahasamund, Jashpur and Balod districts of Chhattisgarh, taking the count of fatalities to nine so far this month, a forest official said. A 48-year-old employee of the health department was trampled to death by a tusker when he tried to take selfies with the animal in a forest near Kona village of Mahasamund on Thursday evening.
Incident
Despite being warned, the victim went close to the tusker
"Ajay Tiwari, a peon at sub-health center in Khatti village, was returning home from work when he stopped midway after finding out about the movement of elephants and entered the forest," he said. "Despite being warned by villagers, Tiwari went too close to the jumbo and tried to take selfies with the animal on his phone," the official said.
Death
Villagers have been cautioned not to venture into the forest
"He tried to take selfies but the tusker suddenly charged toward him and crushed him to death," the official further said. "With this, four persons have been killed by elephants in the district this month alone," the official said, adding that the villagers have been cautioned not to venture into the forest, especially after dusk.
Elephant attack
A similar incident of elephant attack was reported in Jashpur
In another incident in Jashpur, Virendra Ekka (35) was attacked by an elephant on a forested route between Khari Bahar and Junwain villages when he was traveling on a bicycle late on Thursday evening. "There were no reports of movement of elephants in that area and it seems the animal had entered Jashpur from neighboring Odisha," Divisional Forest Officer (Jashpur) Srikrishna Jadhav said.
Information
Elephants have also destroyed crops in some villages
Meanwhile, a 48-year-old man was killed by a pachyderm near Adjaal village under Dalli Rajhara forest range of Balod on Wednesday evening, officials said. According to the forest department, elephants have also destroyed crops in some villages in the Dalli Rajhara area.
Immediate aid
Kin of the three deceased were offered Rs. 25,000 each
The kin of the three deceased persons were provided an immediate aid of Rs. 25,000 each, while the remaining compensation will be disbursed on completion of the necessary formalities, the forest department officials further said. With this, nine people have been killed in elephant attacks in the state so far this month, it was stated.
Information
In last three years, 204 people died in elephant attacks
As per government records, 204 people were killed in elephant attacks, while 45 jumbos died in the state in the last three years. Several incidents of human-elephant conflict have been reported in a number of districts in the recent past.