Chhattisgarh; Man, woman killed in separate elephant attacks in Jashpur

As per forest department officials, over 200 people were killed in elephant attacks in the state in the last three years.

A man and a woman were killed in separate attacks by elephants in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district on Tuesday, a forest department official said.

The incidents took place in the early hours of the day in Kunkuri forest range and the deceased were identified as Trilochan Yadav (65) of Kandora and Saniyaro Bai (55) from Giddhabahar, he said.

''A herd of wild jumbos razed the boundary wall of the yard of Yadav's house and attacked him, resulting in his death. Another herd attacked Saniyaro when she had gone to attend nature's call near the village. She was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead,'' he said.

''A herd of about 45 elephants had recently reached Kunkuri range, and is now moving in the region in five groups. Three forest department teams have been formed to monitor their movements and villagers have been asked to be alert,'' he informed.

Immediate relief of Rs 25,000 each has been given to the kin of the deceased, while further compensation of Rs 5.75 lakh each will disbursed after completion of formalities, he added.

Human-elephant conflicts in the northern part of the state has been a major cause of concern for the last one decade and the menace has further spread to some districts of the central region in the last few years.

The districts affected are Surguja, Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Gariaband. As per forest department officials, over 200 people were killed in elephant attacks in the state in the last three years.