Woman trampled to death by wild elephant in Assam

A middle-aged woman was trampled to death and another person seriously injured by a wild elephant in Assam's Nagaon district on Tuesday, four days after a 22-year old man was crushed to death in the same district, officials said.

Woman trampled to death by wild elephant in Assam
Source: IANS

Guwahati, June 7 (IANS) A middle-aged woman was trampled to death and another person seriously injured by a wild elephant in Assam's Nagaon district on Tuesday, four days after a 22-year old man was crushed to death in the same district, officials said.

Forest officials said that Asulata Mallik of Singimari tea garden area in Rajagaon village was killed when she was working in her orchard nearby her home.

The elephant also critically injured Sapan Mallik and he was then shifted to a local hospital, the official said.

On Saturday, Bijay Konwar was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Amsoi village when he had gone to a nearby forest with his cattle for grazing.

With the second largest elephant population in India after Karnataka (6,049), Assam has 5,719 jumbos, according to the last census conducted in 2017.

Due to the deforestation and destruction of elephant habitats and crisis of fodder, men-elephant conflict is rising in Assam.

According to the wildlife officials, 890 humans have died in man-elephant conflicts during the last 10 years, with Sonitpur district recording the highest deaths at 124, followed by Udalguri district with 118 and Goalpara district with 78 deaths.

Last year, over 100 people including women, have died while five people killed this year so far due to the elephant attacks in various parts of Assam.