Assam: Wild elephant mauls 40-year-old man to death in Kaliabor

A wild elephant on March 21 night mauled a person to death in Kaliabor town of Nagaon district in Assam.

The deceased has been identified as 40-year-old Mohan Teron, a resident of Bamuni Kathal Sang.

The incident took place after Teron was returning home on a cycle and he was suddenly attacked by the wild elephant which resulted in his death.

On the other hand, Teron's youngest son was injured in the attack. 

Upon receiving the information of the same, the police as well as officials from forest department personnel reached the spot overnight and recovered the body.

Recently, Assam Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary informed the Assembly that over 70 people and 80 elephants die every year on average in the human-elephant conflict in the state.

The elephant population in the state is over 5,700 and 1,330 elephants have died between 2001 and 2022, with the highest number of deaths reported in 2013 when 107 pachyderms died, followed by 97 in 2016 and 92 in 2014. 

Besides this, 509 died due to natural causes, 261 succumbed to unknown reasons, 202 were electrocuted, 102 died in train accidents, 65 were killed due to poisoning, 40 were poached and 18 after being hit by lightning. 

''The state government has paid about Rs 8-9 crore in compensation for damages caused by the pachyderms,'' the minister informed.

Also read: Human-elephant conflict claims more than 70 lives annually in Assam: Forest Minister