ITANAGAR, Aug 1: A man was killed by a wild elephant in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district, officials said on Friday.
The deceased, identified as one Jatphok Sawin, was attacked and killed by a wild elephant between 9 and 10 pm on Thursday in Thalot village, they said.
This was the third incident within a month.
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On July 9, former Khonsa North MLA Kapchen Rajkumar was trampled to death by a wild elephant during a morning walk from Namsang to Deomali town.
On July 28, 46-year-old tea garden labourer, Dhiren Tati was also trampled to death at his residence in Aghuripather.
Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Deomali Chimoy Simai on Friday visited the site at Thalot village.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by the forest department, including acute shortage of personnel and the difficulty of tracking elephants in dense forests, especially during night hours when the animals are most active.
The official also highlighted the initiatives taken by the department including 24×7 patrolling, addressing staff shortages, distribution of firecrackers as precautionary measures, compensation for crop damage, ex gratia for human and animal deaths caused by elephants, proposal for surveillance towers to monitor elephant movements, and proposal for construction of elephant trenches with barbed wire fencing at strategic locations.
The official advised residents to remain vigilant and avoid leaving food waste near their homes, as these attract elephants and recommended planting king chilli plants as a deterrent.
An emergency meeting will be convened soon to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the issue, Simai said. (PTI)
