Chhattisgarh: Wild elephant tramples 2 women to death hours after killing another

Wild elephant kills three women in Chhattisgarh, officials chase it away from human settlements to prevent further attacks.

A wild elephant that killed a 55-year-old woman in Chhattisgarh's Korba district a day ago also trampled to death two women members of a family hours later, officials said on Friday (August 9, 2024).

Teams of forest and police departments have been keeping a tab on the movement of the tusker and engaged in chasing it away from human settlements, they said.

"The elephant was spotted roaming throughout on Thursday (August 7, 2024) in villages near Kusmunda coal mine in Katghora forest division before it entered neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district at night," Divisional Forest Officer Katghora division Kumar Nishant said.

On Thursday night, two women members of a family— Teej Kunwar (60) and Surja Bai (40)— were attacked by the jumbo outside their mud house in Khairbhavna village when they were trying to escape after learning about the presence of the elephant, leading to their death on the spot, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, the jumbo had attacked Gayatri Rathore in Ralia village as she stepped out of her home for a morning walk, leaving her seriously injured. She later succumbed during treatment at a hospital in Korba, he said.

The pachyderm also trampled five cows and calves to death in Khodri village, he added.

All these villages are located close to each other.