Rajganj, 09th January: A man was killed and two others were seriously injured after a wild boar attacked villagers in Phulati Para village under Shikarpur Gram Panchayat of Rajganj block in Jalpaiguri district on Thursday afternoon. The incident has triggered panic across the area.
The deceased has been identified as Ratiya Oraon (48), a tea garden worker by profession. The injured are Bablu Oraon and Madan Majhi. Bablu Oraon was discharged after receiving first aid, while Madan Majhi remains in critical condition and is undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital.
According to local sources, Ratiya Oraon was resting under a tree near a tea garden close to his house after work when a wild boar suddenly attacked him. He suffered severe injuries and collapsed on the ground. The animal then went on to attack two other people present at the spot.
With the help of local residents, the injured Ratiya Oraon was rushed to Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
On Friday, Rajganj MLA Khageswar Roy visited the deceased’s house. He was accompanied by Rajganj Panchayat Samiti chairperson Rupali Dey Sarkar, block president Arindam Banerjee, Ranbir Majumdar and other local leaders. They met the bereaved family and expressed their condolences.
Local residents alleged that incidents involving wild animals, including elephants, have been increasing in the area. They blamed inadequate forest department patrolling for such attacks and demanded enhanced monitoring and security measures to prevent further incidents.
Speaking on the matter, MLA Khageswar Roy termed the incident extremely tragic and said it was the first reported death due to a wild boar attack in his constituency. He assured that compensation would be provided to the victim’s family as per government norms.
Meanwhile, Belakoba Range Officer Raj Kumar Pal said three people were injured in the wild boar attack, one of whom succumbed to injuries. He confirmed that compensation would be given to the deceased’s family according to forest department rules. He added that the animal likely strayed into the village from a nearby forest area and that surveillance in the region has been intensified following the incident.