Belbari: A 45-year-old woman, Amina Rajbanshi, succumbed to a wild elephant attack in Belbari, Morang last Sunday, marking the fifth fatality due to such incidents in the district within a year. Rajbanshi, who resided in Bansbari, Belbari Municipality-8, was targeted while tending to her paddy field near her home, as confirmed by District Police Office Spokesperson and Deputy Superintendent of Police Kopila Chundal.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Amit Limbu, aged 41 from Bhaunne, Belbari-10, endured severe injuries from a wild elephant attack on the previous Thursday morning and is currently receiving medical care at Nobel Medical College in Biratnagar. The fiscal year 2081/82 saw the deaths of three women and two men in similar incidents throughout the district, as reported by the Division Forest Office. Three of these fatalities occurred in Sundarharaicha Municipality, with the remaining two in Belbari Municipality and Letang Municipality, respectively, shared Officer Bimal KC.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Chundal attributed the rise in attacks to the encroachment of wild elephants into human settlements, driven by the quest for food and safety amidst escalating deforestation and forest fires. The Division Forest Office’s statistics reveal that since 2068 BS, elephant attacks have claimed 17 human lives, while nine elephants have perished in the same timeframe. Among the elephants, four died naturally, two were poached, one was shot, and another succumbed to electrocution.
The Division Forest Office has issued a public advisory, urging residents near forested areas to exercise caution, avoid venturing outside at night unless necessary, and ensure outdoor lighting is maintained to deter potential elephant encounters.