Elephant Tramples Woman to Death in Raigarh Forest (Raipur, India)

Author(s)

The Times of India

Date Published

A 45-year-old woman was trampled to death at a forest in Raigarh
district when she went into jungle to collect mahua fruit on Monday. A
huge herd of 62 elephants ventured into Raigarh’s Dharamjaigarh forest
region and also destroyed a dozen houses and 17 acre of crops on the
land of 24 farmers.

Elephants from neighbouring Korba and Gharghoda forests are
frequenting the region and are mobilizing in groups across the block.
The woman’s body was recovered by her family only when she didn’t
return after hours and they launched a hunt only to find her mauled
body.

Elephants in the region are multiplying in number. From a herd of 24,
they are now 62 strong in last four days.

While farmers are shocked and terrorized with sudden attack on their
crops, they said that forest department tries to shut their mouth by
stuffing compensation, which is never sufficient and can never suffice
losses.

Many farmers have responsibility of bank loans and are suffering from
drought too, making their situation worse. Forest officials in
Dharamjaigarh said that they were making all efforts to keep tuskers
at bay with indigenous techniques like bursting crackers, chilly
powder and beating drums. A beat guard in all regions keeps an eye on
the movement of tuskers but when the aggressive lot ventures into
fields, they can’t do much.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/Elephant-tramples-woman-to-death-in-Raigarh-forest/articleshow/51787589.cms