Wild elephant found dead in Baksa

A Correspondent

Tamulpur, July 9: A wild elephant died at No 3 Pub-Guwabari along the Bhutan border under Tamulpur forest range office in the district of Baksa. Due to lack of food, a big herd of wild elephant is moving in search of food in the greater Nagrijuli area along the Bhutan border since the last two weeks and has been creating terror in various villages. In the last two weeks, many houses have been damaged by the herd of wild elephant.

A wild elephant was found lying dead at No 3 Pub-Guwabari village under Tamulpur forest range in Baksa district on July 8. Forest officials arrived and recovered the body of the wild elephant. Later on, they arranged for post-mortem. The forest department could not determine the cause of death of the innocent wild elephant. But some people suspect that the wild elephant died due to electric shock.

Since the last 15 years, in search of food, herds of wild elephants have been coming down to the foothills and getting involved in conflicts with human beings. As a result, in the last 15 years at least 70 people and seven wild elephants died in Tamulpur subdivision in Baksa district. Yet no measures have been taken to control the wild elephants by the forest department and government. People have been using metal wire, connected with battery and inverter, in the boundary of a village to protect their houses and properties. Villagers have demanded the government and forest department to protect wild elephants as well as the lives of villagers and their properties.