Assam: 2 children among 4 killed in man-elephant conflict in Bokajan

Bokajan: A herd of wild elephants trampled four people to death, including two minor children, in the Bormanthi village under the East Forest range of Bokajan in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, on Thursday afternoon.

The deceased have been identified as Rebecca Kerketa (28), Kanya Tiria (50), and two children, all from the same family.

The tragic event unfolded around 3 pm as the family was returning home from their paddy field when they encountered the herd of two elephants. The elephants charged at them, leaving them with no chance of escape.

Police and forest personnel rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies of the four victims. The bodies were taken to Diphu Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

Earlier in January 2017, a young schoolgirl was trampled to death in broad daylight in Longkathar village under the Khatkhati Forest beat.

In August 2019, a 13-year-old girl met a similar fate under the hooves of a wild elephant in Bokajan's Phulbari area.

In May 2019, a pregnant woman and her 4-year-old daughter were trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in the Sunday Bazaar area along the Assam-Nagaland border.

The rampant deforestation in the region has compelled elephant herds to venture into human habitats in search of food and sustenance.

This human-elephant conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides. Several elephants have lost their lives in recent years due to collisions with trains, electrocution, and injuries sustained during conflicts with humans. In May 2022, a tusker was killed in Bokajan after being hit by the Guwahati-Mariani Express train.

Another tusker suffered a fatal electrocution in the Dhansiri Tea Estate under the Silonijan Ranger in Bokajan Subdivision a few years ago.

In 2016, a team of forest officials and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) veterinarians rescued an injured wild elephant at Nambor Reserve Forest on the Karbi Anglong-Golaghat border.

Earlier in 2018, the bullet-riddled carcass of an adult male elephant with both tusks removed was discovered in the Horumanthi area under Bokajan East Forest Division.

Reported by: Rupjyoti Mahanta