An elephant killed a farmer and injured another person near Jhanshi Nagar Lift Irrigation canal, Jabbartola compartment no: 197 in Navegaon Forest Range in Gondia district on Tuesday morning. The incident created sensation among the villagers.
It is reported that some 25 farmers from Tidka village were trying to divert the herd of wild elephants from Chhattisgarh that reached in this area via Gadchiroli district. They were diverting the herd so that they feared the jumbos would cause severe damages to their crops. They were chasing the herd, shouting, beating drums and bursting crackers in an attempt to change the direction of the herd. Suddenly, one enraged elephant attacked the farmer Surendra Jetu Kadhaibagh (53) and injured other, according to eye-witness.
The herd that was coming from Gadchiroli district towards Navegaon National Park, some villagers from Chutiya village on the boundary of the park diverted the elephants by chasing for three km and ultimately the herd reached to Tidka village.
Meanwhile, forest staff members had warned the villagers from the areas about the herd entering in the boundary of Gondia Forest Division on September 24 and created awareness with a message to be careful. The field staff members are monitoring the movement of the herd.
Sudhir Mungantiwar, Forest Minister, who is also In-charge Minister for Gondia district, ordered the forest authorities to investigate the matter and give compensation of Rs 20 lakh to family members of the deceased. He also asked officers to take measures to send the herd elsewhere.
Kulraj Singh, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gondia, has asked villagers to inform them if they see elephants entering in nearby areas, not to go to fields during night, not to go near of chase jumbos, not to create hurdle in the way of wild elephants and inform about crop damages.
