A CORRESPONDENT
NALBARI: A tragic incident of human-elephant conflict claimed the life of a 65-year-old man in Katahkuchi village under Nalbari Sadar police station in Assam's Nalbari district on Thursday evening, sparking widespread anger among locals against the Forest Department.
The deceased has been identified as Anna Kalita (65 years). According to local sources, a herd of wild elephants, which had entered the area in search of food, suddenly attacked a group of people. Three persons reportedly managed to save themselves by jumping into a nearby river, while Anna Kalita was caught by the elephant and trampled to death.
Residents also claimed that one elephant in the herd was fitted with a GPS tracking collar, raising questions over whether timely monitoring and preventive measures could have helped avert the tragedy. However, no official statement has yet been issued regarding the role of the GPS-collared elephant in the incident.
Locals said that wild elephants have been regularly entering Katahkuchi and nearby areas over the past several days, damaging crops, threatening residents, and creating fear among villagers. They alleged that despite repeatedly informing the Forest Department about the frequent movement of elephants, no effective action was taken to prevent such incidents.
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