Man trampled to death by wild elephant in Chhattisgarh

Elephant attacks continue to claim lives in Chhattisgarh's Korba district as another villager was trampled by a wild jumbo taking the death toll to six in the region this month.
The local forest authority has sought permission to tranquilise two 'rogue' tuskers in order to shift those to another place or kill the pachyderms if necessary.
"Mukhiram Manjhwar (45) was attacked by the jumbo last night while he was sleeping in front of his house at Pidiya village under Kartala forest range," Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Korba Forest Division Vivekanand Jha said.
Dori (Mahua fruit) was kept in front of the victim's house and a jackfruit tree was also there. Prima facie it appears that pachyderm was attracted by the smell of Mahua or jackfruit, the DFO said.

So far six villagers, including two women, were killed by three rogue tuskers at separate places in Kartala and Kudmura forest ranges of Korba division this month.
An elderly woman, Samudribai Rathiya, was killed yesterday morning near Charmar village in Kartala forest range when she had gone to pick Mahua fruits.

"Of the three rogue tuskers, one has now joined its herd while two others are still venturing alone in the forests. After monitoring the activities of the elephants for the past few days, we have become certain that the animals have gone rogue," Jha said.
In a letter to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife), we have sought his direction into the matter. Besides, permission has also been sought to tranquilise the two tuskers and shift them to other region or kill them if necessary keeping in view the welfare of people, he said.

"The chances of human-animal conflict increases in this season as villagers go in the forest to pluck tendu leaves and pick mahua fruits. After the recent incidents, the villagers have been advised to take precautions and stay alert," the DFO said.
Moreover, Van Samiti (forest committees) have been asked to organise meeting with villagers to discuss the situation and take necessary precautions, Jha added.
The thickly forested northern Chhattisgarh, comprising Surguja, Korba, Raigarh, Jashpur and Korea districts, are notorious for incidents of human-elephant conflict.
The region has witnessed killings of several people and damages to houses and crops by rogueelephantsin the last few years.