A tragic incident near the India-Bhutan border has claimed two lives, highlighting the persistent danger of human-elephant conflict in Assam. A forest department employee and a civilian were killed in an attack by wild elephants in Tamulpur district on Tuesday night.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The deceased have been identified as Sanju Islary (45), the forester, and Tapan Timsina (27). According to Baksa Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Pradip Kumar Bhuyan, the fatalities occurred during an operation to manage a herd of approximately 18 wild elephants. The herd was being guided from neighbouring Nalbari district through Tamulpur towards the hills bordering Bhutan.
"It was evening and fog descended. After they were pushed for about 20km from Nalbari, a small group of about 5 elephants got separated and went towards the eastern direction in a village," Bhuyan explained. The group split near Khairani in Tamulpur, raising immediate concerns for village safety.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Attack
While forest personnel attempted to reunite the separated elephants with the main herd, the situation turned fatal. Officials stated that the civilian, Tapan Timsina, lost his life after he went to see the elephants. The forest staff member, Sanju Islary, was killed while trying to save Timsina. The elephants had entered a village and faced resistance from locals, which likely escalated the conflict.
Islary was a resident of Suwagpur village in Tamulpur district. Timsina, originally from Hatibandha village in Nagaon district, was visiting a relative in Tamulpur at the time of the incident.
Broader Concerns and Calls for Action
This tragedy has renewed serious concerns over the movement of wild elephants from hills and forests into villages along the India-Bhutan border and nearby districts. With the paddy harvesting season nearly over, elephant herds have been roaming several districts in search of food, increasing the likelihood of encounters.
Anupam Sarmah, team leader of the Brahmaputra landscape at WWF, emphasized the need for a scientific approach. "The wild elephants have a tendency to come down from the hills and move towards rivers and grasslands. Whenever they get obstructions, such conflicts arise," he said. He pointed out that Tamulpur and neighbouring districts are worst affected by such conflicts and called for a long-term management plan to prevent future tragedies.
Sarmah stressed the importance of a scientific study to identify the elephant corridors currently in use, which is crucial for effective management and mitigation strategies. This incident follows another recent tragedy where the Rajdhani Express ran over eight elephants in Assam's Hojai district earlier this month, drawing nationwide attention to the critical issue of human-elephant conflict in the region.
