Wild elephants trample 52-year-old man to death in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh: A 52-year-old former Village Defence Party member was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants while foraging for vegetables near his home in Nazirating Tamuli forest village in Tinsukia district on Friday evening.

The incident came amid escalating human-elephant conflict in the state.

The victim has been identified as Moteswar Moran, a resident of the village under Doomdooma forest division. When Moran failed to return home, villagers launched a search operation and discovered his body in the jungle.

“The footprints of elephants were clearly visible at the spot where we found his body. We carried him back to the village before the forest officials and police arrived,” villager Baikuntha Moran said.

The attacking herd had reportedly ventured out from the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, located within the boundaries of Dehing Patkai National Park. The reserve is home to 348 wild Asian elephants, with herds frequently leaving the protected area to forage in peripheral villages.

Forest staff and police officials took Moran’s body to hospital for post-mortem.

Under the state govt’s compensation policy for human-elephant conflict victims, Moran’s family — comprising his wife, two sons, and a daughter — will receive Rs 4 lakh in financial assistance, officials said.

The incident has renewed concerns about the escalating frequency of such conflicts across Assam. According to data from wildlife NGO Aaranyak, the state has witnessed losses on both sides during 2024-25, with at least 61 elephants and 81 people killed in human-elephant conflicts. The statistics paint a grim picture of the ongoing struggle between wildlife conservation and human settlements. As elephant populations seek food and water sources, encounters with local communities have become increasingly common and deadly.

“These incidents highlight the urgent need for better conflict mitigation strategies. Elephants venture into human settlements primarily in search of food, especially during certain seasons when natural food sources become scarce,” environmentalist Joynal Abedin said.

Wildlife experts emphasise the need for comprehensive solutions including improved early warning systems, better crop protection methods, and enhanced corridor management to reduce such tragic incidents while ensuring the survival of Assam's elephant population.