Jhargram witnessed another tragic elephant attack on Friday morning, pushing the death toll from such incidents in the district to seven over the past two months. The latest victim was identified as 65-year-old Kangali Nayek, a resident of Ramchandrapur village under Nayagram police station in the Kharagpur forest division.
According to local sources, an elephant crossed the Subarnarekha River from the Sankrail side early in the morning and entered the Ramchandrapur area. Nayek, who was heading to a bamboo grove near his house as part of his daily routine, reportedly encountered the animal. The elephant allegedly grabbed him with its trunk and threw him to the ground, killing him instantly, as per residents. Forest department personnel later recovered his body from the bamboo grove.
In the evening, the forest department handed over a compensation cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the victim's wife. The cheque was presented by MOS Horticulture and Agriculture and Food Processing, Amiya Kisku, at the Chandabila range. DFO Kharagpur and CCF Western Circle were also present during the ceremony.
Elephant attacks have claimed seven lives in Jhargram between April and June. Earlier, on Sunday, 32-year-old Mousumi Mallik, a homemaker from Pranabpally, was killed at Shimuldanga under Jhargram police station while collecting cashew seeds in a plantation. On Thursday, state Animal Resources Development and Fisheries Minister Rajesh Mahato and Jhargram MLA Laxmikanta Sahu handed over a compensation cheque of Rs 5 lakh to her husband at the Jhargram range office. Jhargram DFO Umar Imam was also present.
A similar incident occurred last year near Ramchandrapur, when Shanti Bera of Bachhurkhoar was killed by an elephant while returning home on his bicycle.
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