A CORRESPONDENT
BOKAKHAT: Once a skilled and legendary mahout who had tamed many wild elephants with his expertise, Dimbeswar Das is now ailing, physically weak, and suffering from memory loss. Whenever he hears the word ‘elephant,’ he becomes restless, and even more so when he hears ‘wild elephant.’
Laden, the once-feared wild elephant responsible for killing around 50 people, was finally subdued in a 40-minute breathless and uncertain operation by this renowned mahout from Kuruabahi in Bokakhat. Once the man who tamed the mighty Laden, now he is known to everyone, especially the younger generation, as ‘Dimb Pagla’ (Mad Dimb). Back in 2019, regions including Goalpara were under siege by a rogue wild elephant that wreaked havoc, killing more than 50 people. Locals, terrorized by its rampage, nicknamed the elephant ‘Laden,’ referencing terrorist Osama Bin Laden, whose name was widely-known at the time. Despite repeated efforts, the forest department failed to control the animal.
Eventually, the department sought help from MLA Padma Hazarika who brought in Dimbeswar Das from Kuruabahi. Thus began the mission to capture the infamous Laden alive. Riding on an elephant named Ramu provided by Padma Hazarika, Dimbeswar Das took the lead in the operation. After 40 tense minutes, the dangerous elephant was finally captured.
That same Dimbeswar Das, once a passionate mahout who saw elephants as life itself and who was also a skilled trapper, is now stranded amid floodwaters. Currently trapped by floodwaters in the flood-affected Chinakan area of Bokakhat, his plight caught the attention of Minister Atul Bora and Deputy Commissioner Pulak Mahanta, who were visiting to assess the flood situation. Both enquired about his health, and Minister Bora assured that the financially-struggling Dimbeswar Das would be given assistance. He directed administrative officials to ensure that all necessary support was provided to Das.
Also Read: One drowns in flood in Bokakhat; Minister Atul Bora hands over compensation
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