Assam: Fourth elephant death in a month sparks outrage in Udalguri

A CORRESPONDENT

TANGLA: In a continuing saga of apathy and alleged negligence on the part of the Forest Department under the Dhansiri forest division in Udalguri, the death of yet another wild elephant has triggered outrage among wildlife activists and locals alike. The incident marked the fourth death of a wild elephant within a month in the district.

According to reports, the carcass of a wild elephant was recovered on Thursday morning from No. 2 Amjuli Hatikhuli, near the Indo–Bhutan border in Udalguri district. Though the exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained, preliminary suspicion points to electrocution, possibly from illegal electric fencing erected by villagers to protect ripe paddy fields from elephant depredation. 

Locals allege that despite repeated appeals, the forest department has failed to act proactively to prevent such tragic incidents. “Forest officials hardly reach on time. They arrive hours late, citing lack of manpower, ammunition, or even fuel. This compels villagers to take matters into their own hands by setting up illegal electric fences or resorting to poisoning,” said a resident of the affected area. 

Wildlife activists have slammed the Forest Department’s alleged inaction, claiming officials are more focused on collecting commissions from illegal sand mining and stone crusher operations than addressing the escalating human-elephant conflict. They have also expressed frustration over the department’s reluctance to collaborate with NGOs that are willing to extend logistical and on-ground support for mitigating the conflict.

When contacted, Dhansiri forest division DFO Mustafa Ali Ahmed said, “Electrocution or poisoning is suspected, but we have not found conclusive evidence yet. The exact cause will be known only after the post-mortem report.” He, however, denied the allegation that officials reach the spot late, while admitting that manpower shortage remains a serious challenge. “We have already apprised higher authorities of the situation,” he added. 

Pertinently, this incident adds to the grim statistics of rising man-elephant conflict in the region wherein this year alone, the Dhansiri forest division has recorded 14 elephant deaths against 15 human casualties. 

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