Tragic Elephant Attacks Claim Two Lives in Assam
Human-Elephant Conflict in Assam
Two persons killed in elephant attacks in Dhekiajuli on Tuesday (Photo: AT)
Sonitpur, Sept 22: The ongoing human-elephant conflict in Assam has resulted in the tragic deaths of two individuals in Dhekiajuli on Tuesday morning.
The victims have been identified as Rahmat Ali from No. 2 Pirakata and Ganesh Toppo from Ratunjuli.
These fatalities mark the fifth incident of human-elephant conflict-related deaths in Assam within the last 16 days.
According to local sources, the attacks occurred around 6 am as the victims were leaving their homes.
“Toppo was out with his two children at approximately 6:30 am when a wild elephant emerged from a nearby forest and attacked them. He attempted to protect his children but was overwhelmed,” a local resident reported.
The children, aged five and seven, were injured during the incident, as noted by the resident.
Another local expressed concern over the frequent elephant incursions in the area.
“This region experiences annual elephant invasions and aggression. In recent years, one or two fatalities have occurred due to elephant attacks here,” the resident stated.
He called for immediate action from the state Forest Department, saying, “Along with Toppo, another person lost their life in this incident. We urge the Assam government and the Forest Department to engage in high-level discussions regarding this escalating issue.”
The recent fatalities have highlighted the ongoing human-elephant conflict in Assam, which has seen a series of deadly encounters this month.
Previously, two individuals were killed in separate elephant attacks on September 6 and 7, and another fatality occurred in Goalpara on September 14.
On September 6, Assam Police havildar Amzad Ali was attacked by a wild elephant at the 17th Assam Police Battalion camp in Dakurbhita, Goalpara.
The next day, 39-year-old farmer Umakanta Moran was trampled by a wild elephant while riding his motorcycle home in Digboi.
The increasing number of deaths has raised alarms regarding the persistent human-elephant conflict in the state.
Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah mentioned in July that nearly 150 individuals lose their lives annually due to such conflicts in Assam, while crop destruction by elephants continues to threaten farmers' livelihoods.
The state government later reported to the Assembly that over the past decade, 1,147 people have died in human-elephant conflicts in Assam, including 138 deaths in 2025 alone.
To tackle this issue, the government has introduced a dual approach that includes expedited compensation for the families of victims and long-term strategies to minimize encounters between humans and elephants.
As part of the compensation plan, the families of those killed in elephant attacks will receive Rs 6 lakh as ex gratia within 72 hours of the incident.
The district administration has been instructed to ensure prompt compensation disbursement, with local MLAs expected to assist in the process.