Tusker strays into West Bengal's Jalpaiguri tea estate, tramples elderly couple

JALPAIGURI: An elderly couple was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Gara Line in Kalabari Tea Estate in Jalpaiguri’s Banerhat on Tuesday night.
Baburam Majhi (65) and his wife Bahamuni (60) were sleeping in their hut when the elephant — that strayed out of Diana forest — damaged the house. Majhi’s daughter Asha, and grandson Sibraj, were injured.
The tusker also damaged four other houses in the labour line.
According to witnesses, the elephant ventured into the area between 1am and 2am. A few people came out of their houses when they heard the sound of the animal. Both Baburam and Bahamuni were sleeping when the animal broke through the hut’s bamboo wall and trampled them to death. Their daughter and grandson escaped with injuries.
Residents of the labour line raised an alarm, following which the tusker returned to the forest.
The bereaved family is entitled for a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh per casualty according to forest department rules.
“The process of payment of com-pensation will be completed after the receipt of post-mortem reports,” an official said.