Guwahati: Two persons were killed early on Saturday morning in a wild elephant attack in Assam’s Nagaon district, while in Goalpara district, an elephant died of electrocution amid rising human-elephant conflict during the rainy season.At Kachua in Nagaon, Chahaj Uddin and Hanufa Khatun were trampled to death after wild elephants entered their village. Residents said an elephant from a herd entered their premises and killed both. Three others were injured and are receiving treatment after the herd attacked the minority-inhabited area and damaged several houses. One person reportedly survived by hiding in a well. Hanufa was allegedly dragged out of her home and trampled, while a relative said Chahaj was chased onto the road and killed.An eyewitness said it was a small herd. “There were four elephants in total. Three left, but one attacked the two villagers,” said a villager. Residents said elephants have been coming down regularly for food from neighbouring hill ranges over the past several weeks, blaming night-time hill cutting using excavators in nearby areas for forcing the animals into villages. They also cited limited manpower at a nearby forest camp as a reason the elephants could not be stopped.“Elephants have been roaming in the Kachua area for the last three months. We had been cautioning forest staff that such casualties could happen,” said another villager. The route is linked to Kaziranga through the Karbi Anglong hills, and locals have demanded action against illegal earth cutting.In a separate incident in Goalpara’s Marnoi area, a herd elephant died after coming into contact with an electric wire while eating jackfruit on Friday night, according to a forest department official. “Somehow the elephant came in contact with an electric wire connected to a family’s house from an electric pole,” said the official. The elephant was reportedly pregnant, and a post-mortem was underway. Two herds of about 40 elephants were reported to be roaming in the area.
