Man Elephant Conflict: Girl trampled to death by wild elephant in Bokajan

Bokajan: A 13-year-old girl was trampled to death by a wild elephant in the Phulbari area of Bokajan in East Karbi Anglong late Thursday evening.

The incident happened when the elephants broke in through the concrete boundary wall of Bhim Bahadur Tirki's residence in the late hours of Thursday evening. The panic-ridden occupants of the house ran for cover however the 13 yr old Shoma was caught hold by a tusker with its trunk and reportedly smashed on the ground leaving her seriously injured. She later succumbed to her injuries while being shifted to the hospital.

The man-elephant conflict has assumed an alarming proportion in the hill district of Karbi Anglong. Each year, Elephants wreak havoc in human settlements which cause severe casualties on either side. A small school going girl was trampled to death in board daylight at Longkathar village under Bokajan East Division on January 4, 2017. Another pregnant woman and her 4 yr old daughter were trampled to death in the same region back in May 2018.

Elephant deaths due to unnatural causes have also seen a significant rise in the past couple of years. Hundreds of elephants are killed each year with the primary reason being either mowing down by moving train, electrocutions, poisoning or due to a gunshot. A bullet-ridden carcass of a wild elephant stuck in a wetland was recovered from the Lahorijan tea-estate area back in 2014. Forest officials assumed that the elephant has been a victim of conflict with human and was probably shot in retaliation. Earlier on February 26, two wild elephants which came in contact with dangling wires were electrocuted to death in Dhansiri Tea-Estate under silonijan forest range. Recently, another bullet-ridden carcass of an adult male elephant with its Tusks removed was recovered in the Horumanthi area of Bokajan in November 2018.

Mention worthy that Horumanthi and the adjoining areas of Phulbari, Gharialdubi and Khatkhati happen to be a part of a migratory route of an elephant herd and conflict with humans has risen in recent years. Sleep withers as the harvesting season approaches and farmers, villagers who work tirelessly throughout the day are forced to guard their fields, house by night.

The role of forest department officials in the dirty man-animal conflict is also quite objectionable. Residents claim the lack of apathy and work culture among the department officials in containing the much hyped man-elephant conflict in the area.

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