Wild Elephants Unleash Havoc in Nagaon; 3 Persons Sustain Grievous Injuries

Nagaon: In a spine-chilling incident that serves as a chilling reminder about the escalating human-elephant conflict in Assam, the Jalah village in Nagaon’s Barhampur woke up to terror on Tuesday morning  as a wild elephants stormed into human settlements, leaving behind a trail of fear, injury and loss.

According to sources, three persons identified as Pankaj Saikia, Baiti Saikia, and Tulsi Saikia were attacked by wild elephants while they stepped out of their homes for morning walk.

Reportedly, all three sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. In the same tragic incident, two cattle were trampled to death, deepening the sorrow of the affected families.

This heart-wrenching episode comes just days after eight elephants met a tragic end in a train collision at Potiapam near Kampur, highlighting the growing vulnerability of both humans and wildlife in the region.

It may be mentioned that despite repeated incidents of wild elephants roaming freely across vast stretches of land in the district, the Forest Department’s response has been criticized as inefficient. The absence of proactive measures to drive the elephants away from human settlements has sparked widespread anger among locals.

Following the incident in Jalah today, the villagers expressed their deep frustration over the Forest Department’s indifferent stance and demanded immediate action to ensure the safety of residents and their livestock.

A frustrated local said, “The incident occurred at around 6 am today. The persons were attacked by wild jumbos while they had gone for a walk. This is a very unfortunate incident. If the forest department does not pay heed to our problems, then we will be trapped into this crisis. Along with the persons, two cows were also killed. Therefore, we request the forest department, the Assam Chief Minister and also our local MLA to take steps to stop this menace and help our people.”

On the other hand, last evening two more individuals were injured in an elephant attack in Nagaoan’s Nonoi Panigaon village. Among them, a young man named Hilotpal suffered serious injuries to his limbs while returning home, after being ambushed by a herd.

As the district grapples with the growing frequency of such encounters, the call for urgent intervention grows louder. The people of the district are pleading for their right to live without fear in their own homeland, as well as seeking protection.

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