News Analysis India

Tag: elephant

  • Elephant tramples to death three persons at temple festival in Uttar Pradesh

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: An elephant went berserk and trampled to death two women and a child during a religious event in Gorakhpur on Thursday.

    According to the local sources, the jumbo ran amok during a yagya ceremony held at Mohammadpur Mafi village of Jagatbela under Chitwa Tal police station limits of Gorakhpur.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    The sources claimed that in Mohammadpur Mafi village, the yagya of Shri Lakshmi Narayan was planned from February 16 to 24. On the first day of the event, a Kalash Yatra had to be taken out and two elephants were called in to take part in the yatra. Suddenly, one of the elephants, which was brought at the yagya site, got annoyed and started running amok. The jumbo got aggressive by the noise and people taking selfies.

    The pachyderm while going out of the control of his owner, lifted two women in its trunk, tossed and flumped them on the ground, and trampled them to death.

    Those killed by the jumbo were identified as Kanti Devi, 55, Kaushalya Devi, 50, and her four-year-old grandson named Krishna.  While creating havoc at the yagya site, the jumbo left scores of devotees, who had thronged the place in hundreds, injured.

    On getting the information, the local police station in-charge Jayant Kumar Singh, and CO Kampiereganj, Shaymdeo Bind rushed to the spot along with a team of forest officials to tame the jumbo.

    However, by the time the teams reached the incident site, the jumbo had traversed to the fields. Later, the forest team succeeded in taming it by giving a shot of tranquilizer, said the sources.

    Villagers say preparations were on before taking the Yagya Kalash Yatra out. The elephant was also brought to join the procession. Around 1,000 people were present at the site of the incident.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    LUCKNOW: An elephant went berserk and trampled to death two women and a child during a religious event in Gorakhpur on Thursday.

    According to the local sources, the jumbo ran amok during a yagya ceremony held at Mohammadpur Mafi village of Jagatbela under Chitwa Tal police station limits of Gorakhpur.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    The sources claimed that in Mohammadpur Mafi village, the yagya of Shri Lakshmi Narayan was planned from February 16 to 24. On the first day of the event, a Kalash Yatra had to be taken out and two elephants were called in to take part in the yatra. Suddenly, one of the elephants, which was brought at the yagya site, got annoyed and started running amok. The jumbo got aggressive by the noise and people taking selfies.

    The pachyderm while going out of the control of his owner, lifted two women in its trunk, tossed and flumped them on the ground, and trampled them to death.

    Those killed by the jumbo were identified as Kanti Devi, 55, Kaushalya Devi, 50, and her four-year-old grandson named Krishna.  While creating havoc at the yagya site, the jumbo left scores of devotees, who had thronged the place in hundreds, injured.

    On getting the information, the local police station in-charge Jayant Kumar Singh, and CO Kampiereganj, Shaymdeo Bind rushed to the spot along with a team of forest officials to tame the jumbo.

    However, by the time the teams reached the incident site, the jumbo had traversed to the fields. Later, the forest team succeeded in taming it by giving a shot of tranquilizer, said the sources.

    Villagers say preparations were on before taking the Yagya Kalash Yatra out. The elephant was also brought to join the procession. Around 1,000 people were present at the site of the incident.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

  • ‘Operation Moti’: Indian Army rescues injured Elephant in Uttarakhand

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Members of the Indian Army joined hands with a wildlife NGO to save a 35-year-old Elephant ‘Moti’ in Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

    Indian Army Engineers worked through the night using slings in an innovative manner to lift the elephant safely and the NGO’s medical team began its treatment to save the critically injured mammal.

    ‘Moti’ had collapsed two weeks ago due to weakness and injuries and a medical team from Wildlife SOS had been taking care of the elephant since January 22.

    Updating on the situation the Army on Tuesday told “Indian Army Engineers rescue team liaised with the NGO and local authorities and commenced construction of a tower to help Moti to stand on its feet for receiving medication as the condition was critical and time was of paramount importance.”

    Indian Army’s rescue team leader Lt Col Prateek said, “We have been able to lift Moti using specially installed pulleys and the medical team has been carrying our massages and medications.”

    On 4th February 2023 at 1630 Hrs, the Bengal Engineer Group (BEG) and Centre at Roorkee was approached with an SOS to assist Wildlife SOS, the organisation involved in animal rescue since 1995.

    The Army was apprised of the condition of the elephant by former Army Chief and Union Minister General VK Singh.

    The Army finalised a plan considering the best available resources and an advanced team led by Lt Col Prateek Gupta was moved immediately to the spot to assess and analyse the situation and the condition of the animal.

    Later, as per the assessment, more personnel and five vehicles with the required equipment were moved to the site to rescue ‘Moti’.

    Moti was being used for tourist rides and begging in Uttarakhand’s Rampur district. The elephant was lying on his side owing to a fractured leg and worn-off foot pads. As per the diagnosis of the medical team, the organs of the elephant are in a compromised state.

    The concern is that Moti has been on lateral recumbency (on his side) for almost two weeks and due to lack of movement, he had started getting oedema (swelling and fluid collection) in his perineal region.

    Keeping the vulnerabilities of the tusker NGO SOS has been dealing with the “challenging situation” with its medical team as they did not want to lift him too frequently as it would result in complications, but they also can’t leave him on lateral recumbency for long days.

    NEW DELHI: Members of the Indian Army joined hands with a wildlife NGO to save a 35-year-old Elephant ‘Moti’ in Uttarakhand on Tuesday.

    Indian Army Engineers worked through the night using slings in an innovative manner to lift the elephant safely and the NGO’s medical team began its treatment to save the critically injured mammal.

    ‘Moti’ had collapsed two weeks ago due to weakness and injuries and a medical team from Wildlife SOS had been taking care of the elephant since January 22.

    Updating on the situation the Army on Tuesday told “Indian Army Engineers rescue team liaised with the NGO and local authorities and commenced construction of a tower to help Moti to stand on its feet for receiving medication as the condition was critical and time was of paramount importance.”

    Indian Army’s rescue team leader Lt Col Prateek said, “We have been able to lift Moti using specially installed pulleys and the medical team has been carrying our massages and medications.”

    On 4th February 2023 at 1630 Hrs, the Bengal Engineer Group (BEG) and Centre at Roorkee was approached with an SOS to assist Wildlife SOS, the organisation involved in animal rescue since 1995.

    The Army was apprised of the condition of the elephant by former Army Chief and Union Minister General VK Singh.

    The Army finalised a plan considering the best available resources and an advanced team led by Lt Col Prateek Gupta was moved immediately to the spot to assess and analyse the situation and the condition of the animal.

    Later, as per the assessment, more personnel and five vehicles with the required equipment were moved to the site to rescue ‘Moti’.

    Moti was being used for tourist rides and begging in Uttarakhand’s Rampur district. The elephant was lying on his side owing to a fractured leg and worn-off foot pads. As per the diagnosis of the medical team, the organs of the elephant are in a compromised state.

    The concern is that Moti has been on lateral recumbency (on his side) for almost two weeks and due to lack of movement, he had started getting oedema (swelling and fluid collection) in his perineal region.

    Keeping the vulnerabilities of the tusker NGO SOS has been dealing with the “challenging situation” with its medical team as they did not want to lift him too frequently as it would result in complications, but they also can’t leave him on lateral recumbency for long days.

  • Female wild elephant dies of electrocution in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum

    By PTI

    CHAIBASA: A full-grown female elephant died of electrocution after it came in contact with a high-tension live wire in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, a forest official said on Sunday.

    The local villagers spotted the body of the wild elephant early on Sunday morning near Hesadeepa forest and informed the forest department, the official said.

    The pachyderm would be buried on the spot after post-mortem, official said.

    The wild elephant was moving near the forest when it came in contact with the live wire hanging loose, the forest department official said.

    “We have taken up the issue with the electric department to rectify such loose wires but nothing was done as yet,” the official said while describing the incident as “unfortunate”.

    Earlier, a full grown wild male tusker had been electrocuted after it came in contact with a loose high-tension live wire near Bhatin village, about 35 km from Jamshedpur, in East Singhbhum district on December 13.

    CHAIBASA: A full-grown female elephant died of electrocution after it came in contact with a high-tension live wire in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, a forest official said on Sunday.

    The local villagers spotted the body of the wild elephant early on Sunday morning near Hesadeepa forest and informed the forest department, the official said.

    The pachyderm would be buried on the spot after post-mortem, official said.

    The wild elephant was moving near the forest when it came in contact with the live wire hanging loose, the forest department official said.

    “We have taken up the issue with the electric department to rectify such loose wires but nothing was done as yet,” the official said while describing the incident as “unfortunate”.

    Earlier, a full grown wild male tusker had been electrocuted after it came in contact with a loose high-tension live wire near Bhatin village, about 35 km from Jamshedpur, in East Singhbhum district on December 13.

  • Jumbo warning: Venture into the forest when tipsy at your own risk

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA: Trust a man with the smell of alcohol and a staggering gait at your own risk. Alcohol has a way to attract and distract; the spirit of the occasion is in parallel with the elephant’s curious way to draw closer and trample the innocent tippler to death. That’s what West Bengal’s Forest Department is worried about. 

    Surprised by recent elephant attacks claiming several lives, the forest department in Jungalmahal’s Jhargram district has issued a warning: The drunk must skip their forest jaunt as the smell of alcohol attracts the jumbo. Else, the victim’s family would lose compensation given to those killed in elephant attacks.

    Last year, an elephant barged into a Durga Puja pandal, where organisers were high on liquor, and went on a rampage. “We have told local residents not to venture out into the forest drunk, especially near the elephant corridors, after 6 pm. We have observed elephants are attracted by the smell of alcohol. We have issued a notice that if a drunk person is killed in an elephant attack during the Durga Puja festival period, his family will not get compensation from our department. We are also carrying out an awareness campaign,’’ said Sheikh Farid, the divisional forest officer of Jhargram.

    The department says 45 people have died this year in the district in elephant attacks. The figure was 27 the previous year. Jumbo herds enter Jhargram forests from Jharkhand’s Dalma range in search of food. On many occasions, they come in conflict with local inhabitants. 

    The forest department has issued a strict restriction on taking photographs and videography by using a flashlight as it disturbs the elephant. Three years ago, a councillor of Midnapore municipality came to Jhargram and entered the local forest to take photographs of elephants. The jumbos came charging in and killed him.

    In recent years, elephants entered Jhargram town and its adjoining areas. In three months, 15 people have died in elephant attacks in and around Jhargram town. In a single attack, four persons were killed by elephants last month. In Jhargram, there are 200 Durga Pujas with 30 per cent of them being located near forests, considered elephant corridors.

    No compensationThe drunk must skip their forest jaunt as the smell of alcohol attracts the jumbo. Else, the victim’s family would lose compensation given to those killed in elephant attacks, according to the Jhargram forest department.

    KOLKATA: Trust a man with the smell of alcohol and a staggering gait at your own risk. Alcohol has a way to attract and distract; the spirit of the occasion is in parallel with the elephant’s curious way to draw closer and trample the innocent tippler to death. That’s what West Bengal’s Forest Department is worried about. 

    Surprised by recent elephant attacks claiming several lives, the forest department in Jungalmahal’s Jhargram district has issued a warning: The drunk must skip their forest jaunt as the smell of alcohol attracts the jumbo. Else, the victim’s family would lose compensation given to those killed in elephant attacks.

    Last year, an elephant barged into a Durga Puja pandal, where organisers were high on liquor, and went on a rampage. “We have told local residents not to venture out into the forest drunk, especially near the elephant corridors, after 6 pm. We have observed elephants are attracted by the smell of alcohol. We have issued a notice that if a drunk person is killed in an elephant attack during the Durga Puja festival period, his family will not get compensation from our department. We are also carrying out an awareness campaign,’’ said Sheikh Farid, the divisional forest officer of Jhargram.

    The department says 45 people have died this year in the district in elephant attacks. The figure was 27 the previous year. Jumbo herds enter Jhargram forests from Jharkhand’s Dalma range in search of food. On many occasions, they come in conflict with local inhabitants. 

    The forest department has issued a strict restriction on taking photographs and videography by using a flashlight as it disturbs the elephant. Three years ago, a councillor of Midnapore municipality came to Jhargram and entered the local forest to take photographs of elephants. The jumbos came charging in and killed him.

    In recent years, elephants entered Jhargram town and its adjoining areas. In three months, 15 people have died in elephant attacks in and around Jhargram town. In a single attack, four persons were killed by elephants last month. In Jhargram, there are 200 Durga Pujas with 30 per cent of them being located near forests, considered elephant corridors.

    No compensation
    The drunk must skip their forest jaunt as the smell of alcohol attracts the jumbo. Else, the victim’s family would lose compensation given to those killed in elephant attacks, according to the Jhargram forest department.

  • MoEF to all state PCCF: tell media ‘not’ to portray elephants negatively with harsh remarks

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had expressed concern over the usage of rough derogatory terms to portray elephants’ aggression particularly by the Hindi-language media, and instructed the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF-wildlife) of all states to convey the media in their respective areas to avoid such words.

    The ministry acted following the objection raised by a Chhattisgarh-based wildlife enthusiast Nitin Singhvi who cited that the “harsh Hindi words are often been used for elephants by the fourth pillar of our democracy — both print and electronic media. And such persisting practice might create adverse impressions about elephants among the people”.

    In his complaint supported with the newspapers clippings, Singhvi elucidated how the media attribute to the elephants the words like Aatanki (Terrorist), Utpaati (Oppressor), Hatyara (Murderer), Hinsak (Violent), Pagal (Mad), Bigdail (Spoiled), Gussail (Violent), Hathi ne maut ke ghat utaara (elephant killed the person), Ziddi hathi (Stubborn tusker), Jaan ka dushman (Enemy of life).

    He appealed to the MoEF to direct the PCCF of all states to tell the media to avoid using such words.

    “Elephant is the only animal on the earth addressed with the lovely words like August animal, Dignified animal, Majestic animal, Regal Demeanour, Gentle species and what not. Such admiring words are not even used for homo sapiens (human beings). But regretfully the media particularly the Hindi language are frequently using demeaning and undignified words for the majestic animals, at least this is happening in Chhattisgarh and adjoining states”, Singhvi averred. 

    Appreciating the concern and welcoming the initiative by the MoEF, Prakash Sasha of the Elsa Foundation, (an organisation devoted to elephant welfare), agreed that unfortunately many media outlets are portraying the wild animals in a negative sense. “It will develop hatred for the elephants, lead to greater conflict or violence and even the new generations might gain the wrong understanding jeopardising the scope of co-existing with the wild pachyderms in future”, Sasha opined.

    In this context the MoEF has asked all PCCF (wildlife) to look into the matter and initiate appropriate action. 

  • Caught in gunfight between smugglers and forest guards, elephant killed in Dehing Patkai National Park

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: A female elephant was killed in an exchange of fire between forest personnel and suspected logwood smugglers from Arunachal Pradesh inside the Dehing Patkai National Park, officials said on Thursday.

    Acting on a tip-off, the forest personnel of Hukanjuri and Kathalguri beats in Jeypore Range of Dibrugarh forest division in Assam was out on night patrol in Basabnala area of the park, they said.

    During patrolling, they spotted a group of timber smugglers busy in illegal felling of trees.

    On noticing the forest personnel, the smugglers opened fire.

    A gunfight ensued and after some time, the smugglers managed to escape in the cover of darkness, officials said.

    The patrolling staff visited the spot the next day, Tuesday, and detected a carcass of a female elephant, aged about 18, they said.

    The team also detected nine tree stumps and 35 pieces of log in the area.

    “The circumstantial evidence is a pointer to the fact that the elephant was used for dragging logs by the miscreants,” said a forest official.

    From the evidence gathered, it was further ascertained that the smugglers entered the park from the Arunachal Pradesh side, he said.

    The post-mortem found the elephant had three bullet injuries, he added.

    An investigation is underway and efforts are continuing to nab those behind the incident, the official said.

    A case has been registered at the Jeypore police station under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, he said.

    The Dehing-Patkai rain forest, spread over Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, was notified as the seventh national park of the state in June this year.

  • Madhya Pradesh man, 2 grandsons killed by wild elephants in Sidhi

    By PTI
    SIDHI: An elderly man and his two minor grandsons have been killed by a herd of wild elephants near the Sanjay Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, a forest official said on Tuesday.

    The incident took place on Monday night in Haiki village, about 85 km from the district headquarters, she said.

    After the herd of elephants entered the village, Gorelal Yadav and his grandsons Ramkripal (12) and Ramprasad (13) rushed out of their house to move to a safer place, the tiger reserve’s sub-divisional officer Jaya Tripathi said.

    The jumbos, however, caught hold of the trio and banged them on the ground with their trunks.

    The three victims died on the spot, the official said.

    Later, angry residents of the village, which is situated close to Chhattisgarh, staged a blockade on the Tilwari-Janakpur Road in protest.

    A probe is underway into the incident, the official said.

  • Wild tusker goes on rampage, kills 22-year-old in Uttarakhand

    By PTI
    RISHIKESH: An elephant on the rampage killed a man in Phoolchatti village here on Monday.

    The elephant lifted 22-year-old Kapil in its trunk and threw him repeatedly to the ground at around 3 am, killing him on the spot, Lakshman Jhoola SHO Pramod Uniyal said.

    The angry elephant also broke the windscreen of a utility vehicle standing nearby and tried to pull out its driver but did not succeed as he cowered deeper inside the vehicle to save himself, the official said.

    READ| Elderly man killed in elephant attack in Chhattisgarh

    The incident occurred in Phoolchatti village situated between Lakshman Jhoola and Neelkanth, he said.

    The man hailed from Baral village in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh.

    Kapil’s body has been kept in a mortuary at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here, the SHO said.

  • Ambikapur: Ramgarh mountain looks like a sitting elephant, Kalidas did the creation of Meghdoot here

    Ambikapur News: Ambikapur. Ramgarh mountain in Sarguja district looks like an elephant from a distance. People in Surguja also call Ramgarh mountain as Elephant mountain. The oldest theater in the world is also situated on this mountain spread over a large area. It is also organized here on the first day of Ashada. These days, the greenery and clouds of this mountain are being seen by seeing.

    Ramgarh is the oldest of the historical sites of Surguja. It is located on the Ambikapur-Bilaspur road. It is also called Ramgiri, the Ramgarh mountain is of the elephant sitting. Looking at it from a distance, it is as if an elephant of very large size is sitting far away. Ramgarh remains the center of understanding due to the connection with Lord Ram and Mahakavi Kalidas. According to an ancient belief, Lord Rama lived in exile with brother Lakshman and wife Sita. It is here that Jogi was killed due to Tapas Vess of Rama, Sita Bangarga named after Sita and Laxman cave is also named after Laxman.

    ‘Jogimara’, ‘Sitabengra’ in the name of Sita and ‘Laxman Cave’ in the name of Lakshmana are also situated at this place due to the temperature of Rama. Sanskrit scholars describe Ramgarh as the ‘hill of Ramgarh’ by Mahakavi Kalidas, where he composed his work ‘Meghdoot’. The outline of what Kalidas has written about the hill of Ramgarh in ‘Meghdoot’ is seen even today. The world’s oldest cave theater is also located here, it is called ‘Ramgarh theater’.

    Ramgarh – Elephants abound in the forests of Udaipur

    The forests of Ramgarh and Udaipur are also known as natural habitat for elephants. Many herds of elephants roam free in this forest spread over a large area. Many clans of elephants have been living here for hundreds of years. Along with this, there are often reports of human-elephant duel.