Four killed by herd of elephants in WB

Bardhaman (WB), Mar 20: Four persons, including a woman, were killed and two others injured by a herd of elephants in separate incidents in Bardhaman district today, a forest department official said.

Anandamoyee Rai and Narayan Chandra Maji, both 60-year-old, were trampled to death in Nashigram village under Bhatar police station in the district when they had gone to the fields early this morning, the official said.

At Baghasole village under Manteswar police station, Prakash Boyra (40) died after an elephant flung him to the ground by its trunk and trampled him, DFO Ajay Kumar Das said. Boyra, a resident of Katwa area of the district, had come to the village to check his land.

The next victim was Siraj Sheikh (45) who was working in his field at Kusumgram under Manteswar police station, the DFO said. Two persons were injured in Golfi and Manteswar when they came in the way of the herd, Das said.

A herd of five elephants had entered the area from Dalma forest in neighbouring Bankura district after crossing Damodar river yesterday, the DFO said.

The forest department personnel had pushed three of the elephants back into the forest yesterday but they returned today damaging crops and killing and injuring people, the DFO said.

Two of the elephants of the five-member herd had meanwhile, proceeded to Golfi and Chandul areas of the district, Das said.

PTI