Death by elephant again in north Bengal (India)
Death by elephant again in north Bengal (India)
MeriNews
July 29, 2008
FOR THE fourth time in a week a man was trampled to death by an elephant near the Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. 65-year-old Edward Lakra was returning home late on Sunday night (July 28). As he walked alone through the forest adjoining Kartick Tea Estate he was attacked and killed.
Over the last eight days, three other tea workers have been killed in three separate incidents. On July 24, Bhab Younus Toppo (45) of Rydak Tea Estate, on July 23, Rabin Sangma (28) of Garam Basti and on July 21, Gangaram Sindur (50) of Phashkhawa Tea Estate were also killed under similar circumstances.
These estates lie close to the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Huts and shops in the area too have come under pachyderm attacks.
This sudden spate of elephant attacks is attributed to the local brew both by forest officials and local non government organisations working in the area. Shops selling hooch lie on the margin of the tea estates bordering the forest and remain open till late at night. The main clientele are the tea workers in the vicinity. People returning home around midnight are usually inebriated and vulnerable to elephant attacks.
Elephants’ preference for country liquor draws them to the smell and makes inebriated men, walking alone through the forest at night easy targets. Huts and shops are attacked for the same reason. Last night, for example, Edward was returning home in an intoxicated state and without a torch when the elephant attacked him, LG Lepcha, field director of Buxa Tiger Reserve was quoted as saying.
The forest department is considering asking the excise department to see that the shop closes down after sun set. This is expected to lead to a drop in the number of attacks since elephants usually stray out of the forest late at night.
Article at the following link:
http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=138465
MeriNews
July 29, 2008
FOR THE fourth time in a week a man was trampled to death by an elephant near the Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. 65-year-old Edward Lakra was returning home late on Sunday night (July 28). As he walked alone through the forest adjoining Kartick Tea Estate he was attacked and killed.
Over the last eight days, three other tea workers have been killed in three separate incidents. On July 24, Bhab Younus Toppo (45) of Rydak Tea Estate, on July 23, Rabin Sangma (28) of Garam Basti and on July 21, Gangaram Sindur (50) of Phashkhawa Tea Estate were also killed under similar circumstances.
These estates lie close to the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Huts and shops in the area too have come under pachyderm attacks.
This sudden spate of elephant attacks is attributed to the local brew both by forest officials and local non government organisations working in the area. Shops selling hooch lie on the margin of the tea estates bordering the forest and remain open till late at night. The main clientele are the tea workers in the vicinity. People returning home around midnight are usually inebriated and vulnerable to elephant attacks.
Elephants’ preference for country liquor draws them to the smell and makes inebriated men, walking alone through the forest at night easy targets. Huts and shops are attacked for the same reason. Last night, for example, Edward was returning home in an intoxicated state and without a torch when the elephant attacked him, LG Lepcha, field director of Buxa Tiger Reserve was quoted as saying.
The forest department is considering asking the excise department to see that the shop closes down after sun set. This is expected to lead to a drop in the number of attacks since elephants usually stray out of the forest late at night.
Article at the following link:
http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=138465