Naxalbari, 12th November: In a tragic incident, a 58-year-old farmer was killed in a wild elephant attack in the Hatighisa Jibon Jote area in Naxalbari. The deceased has been identified as Minu Oraon.
According to reports, on Saturday night, a herd of wild tuskers had entered the said area. Later, a few elephants got diverted from the herd and invaded a nearby farmland. Consequently, three farmers guarding the crops encountered the wild elephants and were subsequently attacked. As a result, one farmer lost his life in the incident. Upon learning of the news, the officials of the Bagdogra Forest Department and the Naxalbari police station rushed to the scene, recovered the body from Chenga River, and transported it to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) for a post-mortem examination.
Local residents claimed that the paddy fields are destroyed by elephants on a regular basis. They further demanded the installation of a searchlight and watch tower near the forest department. In regard to the occurrence, a local Panchayat member has urged for financial and job assistance for the family of the deceased.