Elephants kill mother and son in Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan 3 (UNI) A mother and her child were trampled to death by a herd of wild Asiatic elephants in a remote village in Meghalaya, official said today.

The herd of elephants entered Darugre village in West Garo Hills district of the state late last night destroying houses and crops before finally killing the mother and child, Divisional Forest Officer P R Marak told UNI here.

The victims were identified as Aprillish D Sangma (50) and her 13-year-old son Jakrik D Sangma, he said.

The Forest official said further details were awaited.

Last year, 11 wild Asiatic elephants were electrocuted in West Garo Hills district and Ri Bhoi district of the state.

The Garo Hills have often been in news for human-elephant conflict.

The Meghalaya government decided last year to create elephant reserves in the Khasi Hills and a new management habitat protection plan was chalked out for the Garo Hills.

The Garo Hills form one of the main elephant sanctuaries of the state and have a total population of nearly 1,828 pachyderms as per elephant census of 2002.

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