Three including minor boy killed in elephant rampage in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh, panic grips villages

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalRAIPUR: Three people including afive-year-old boy were trampled to death in an attack by an elephant and its calf, wreaking havoc across villages in Lailunga forest range in Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday night.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe victims were asleep inside their mud house when the elephants rolled the boy and woman in their trunk and threw them on ground. Besides, a man was trampled by elephants after he came under the debris of the house, the pachyderms damaged. mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe deadly rampage unfolded across Gosaidih and Mohanpur villages in Dharamjaigarh Forest Division in Raigarh. Eyewitnesses said the elephants first stormed into the villages, damaging several mud and brick homes, and then targeted fleeing residents.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe two pachyderms then went to Mohanpur village and attacked Santara Bai Rathiya and Purushottam Khadia, leading to their death, Jitendra Upadhyay, Divisional Forest Officer of Dharamjaigarh told reporters.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe DFO said that the team of forest department was alerted and separate teams rushed to the spot for rescue as well as recovering the bodies. mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalAn immediate aid of Rs 25,000 was provided to the kin of each deceased.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalForest officials said that the same elephant and calf had previously killed a villager in Bakaruma village a few days ago. The pair has been moving erratically through different villages, leaving a trail of destruction.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalMany residents have fled their homes, seeking refuge in safer areas.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalAngry villagers have accused the forest department of failing to issue timely warnings or provide adequate protection. Demands are growing for night patrols, emergency alert systems, and rapid response forest squads to prevent further casualties.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalDFO said that teams of forest personnel are closely monitoring the movement of elephants and alerting locals. Over 320 people were killed in such incidents over the last five years.