Chhattisgarh: Elephant separated from herd kills two in Surguja, Surajpur

Two persons were killed by a wild elephant in separate incidents in Surguja and Surajpur districts in northern Chhattisgarh, officials said on Tuesday.

While an elderly man was trampled to death by a tusker in Surguja on Monday morning, another man was killed by the same elephant in neighbouring Surajpur later in the evening, they said.

"In the first incident, Chetan Ram Rajwade (60) was killed by a tusker near his village Navapara under Ambikapur forest range when he had gone to attend nature's call," said Divisional Forest Officer (Surguja) Pankaj Kamal.

Later in the evening, the same elephant that killed Rajwade entered into the forest in Surajpur and killed Samar Sai (55) while he and his kin were harvesting crops in his field in Podhi village, Divisional Forest Officer (Surajpur) BS Bhagat said.

The kin of the two deceased were provided immediate aid of Rs 25,000 each, while the remaining compensation of Rs 5.75 lakh each will be given after completion of necessary formalities, officials said.

This elephant has separated from its herd, they added.

As per government records, 204 people were killed in elephant attacks, while 45 jumbos died in the state in 2018, 2019 and 2020.