65-yr-old woman killed in elephant attack

 

 

Human-elephant conflicts continue to escalate in forested areas of Korba District. In a recent incident, a 65-year-old woman lost her life in an elephant attack near Baghmara forest, part of the Gadkatra village under Balco forest range of the Korba Forest Division. The attack occurred during the intervenning Friday-Saturday nights. The elephant, which had wandered through the Katghora Forest Division, entered the Balco area and then proceeded towards Futkapahad. As per the information received, the victim, Bhalai Bai and her husband lived in Baghmara village, where they engaged in farming approximately 3 kilometers from their settlement. After a day of ploughing their fields, the couple was asleep in their hut when the elephant broke in, seized Bhalai Bai, and threw her, leading to her death. Her husband survived because the hut collapsed during the commotion. The elephant then moved to a nearby hut, where it consumed bananas from a garden and entered the house.

 

The man inside narrowly escaped by fleeing. He climbed a mountain to avoid the elephant and returned at 7 in the morning to find the neighbouring woman dead and her husband injured. He hurried to Baghmara to inform his son and daughter-in-law about the mishap. Meanwhile, a team from the Forest Department arrived at the scene and provided immediate assistance of Rs 25,000. The police completed the necessary procedures and returned the body to the family. Forest SDO Ashish Khelwar noted that the Forest Department continuously advises residents to stay safe and indoors during the evening and early morning hours. The deceased’s family will receive a total of Rs 6,00,000 in compensation, with the initial Rs 25,000 already disbursed. The elephant remains in the forest, and nearby villages have been alerted. Meanwhile, as per sources, the same elephant has killed two cattle in Makhudpani village.