In a tragic incident, a 65-year-old man was killed in an attack by wild elephants on Saturday outside the buffer zone of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh. The victim, identified as Ramratan Yadav, was reportedly trampled to death while he was answering nature’s call in Devra village, as confirmed by Umaria Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vivek Singh.
This incident comes on the heels of a concerning situation within the BTR, where ten elephants have died in a span of just three days earlier this week. On Tuesday, four elephants were found dead in the Sankhani and Bakeli areas under the Khitoli range of the reserve. The following day, four more elephants died, and two additional fatalities were reported on Thursday. Currently, only three elephants remain from the 13-member herd, raising questions about their health and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
When asked if the elephants involved in the man’s death were part of the remaining herd, officials stated that it would be difficult to ascertain their identity without a thorough investigation. Another official noted that the three surviving elephants were observed moving towards the forest area in Katni district, a behavior deemed unusual as it had not been recorded previously in the BTR.
The series of unfortunate events highlights the complex challenges faced by wildlife and human populations living in proximity to one another. As authorities investigate the recent fatalities and this tragic incident, the focus remains on understanding the situation and preventing future conflicts between humans and wildlife.
Sources By Agencies