A heart-wrenching incident unfolded in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district of Telangana as a 35-year-old farmer lost his life in a wild elephant attack on Wednesday, as confirmed by the forest department.
The unfortunate event took place on the outskirts of Burepalli village in Chinthalamanepally mandal while the victim was diligently working in an agricultural field, reported officials from the forest department.
The situation took an unprecedented turn as a wild elephant, believed to have ventured from Maharashtra, made its way into Telangana. “For the first time, a wild elephant entered Telangana from Maharashtra… there are no wild elephants in Telangana. It seems a herd of 70-75 elephants is moving along the other side of Pranahita river in Maharashtra. One of the elephants–a male tusker, strayed into Telangana by crossing Pranahita,” stated a senior forest department official to news agency PTI.
Despite efforts to caution villagers about the potential danger, one person ventured into the field where the tragic encounter occurred, resulting in the farmer’s untimely demise due to the elephant’s aggression.
The forest department swiftly responded by cordoning off the area to prevent the elephant from further endangering lives within the village. “Our Maharashtra counterparts had informed us in advance about the movement (of elephants) and we have been monitoring. We had requested the villagers not to venture that side. In spite of our warning, one person had gone to the field where he was attacked by the elephant and died,” explained the official.
As a precautionary measure, the forest officials are prepared to take necessary action if the elephant remains in the area beyond a certain timeframe. “If the elephant does not go back by tonight, then tomorrow we will have to drive it away,” added the official.
This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced in wildlife conservation and the importance of adhering to safety protocols in areas prone to human-animal conflicts.
Sources By Agencies
