A fresh wave of panic swept through Nagaon’s Borma area when a wild elephant control operation by the Assam Forest Department went awry, leaving five people, including a woman, injured from stray bullet fragments. The incident occurred on May 14, as officials tried to drive away the elephant, which had entered the locality and caused widespread alarm.
The injured, identified as Abdul Rahman, Dulena Khatun, and Khalilur Rahman, along with two others, were rushed to Samaguri Primary Health Centre for treatment and later discharged. Despite the efforts, the elephant remains at large, keeping residents on edge.
This incident highlights the growing human-elephant conflict in Assam, with repeated elephant intrusions damaging crops and disrupting village life. Locals are demanding stronger preventive measures to manage elephant movement and protect human settlements.
In a separate incident, residents of Sukuniya-Pukhuripara in Boko area are facing hardship due to frequent attacks by a herd of 30 wild elephants, which damage crops and threaten lives. The villagers are urging authorities to take urgent action to address this recurring issue.
The incidents underscore the need for long-term solutions to mitigate human-elephant conflict in Assam’s vulnerable rural areas.
