ITAHARI, Dec 5: Wild elephant attacks have increased in the areas surrounding Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in recent times. In the last five days, four people living in the areas near the reserve have lost their lives to elephant attacks.

Bhubeshwar Sardar, a local of Koshi Rural Municipality-3 in Itahari district, lost his wife, Sebia Devi, 42, in one such attack. “I had left home early in the morning for daily-wage work. When I returned home in the evening, I found that she was killed at home by wild elephants,” he shared.

The incident happened on November 27. “Now whenever I hear about wild elephants entering the village, I get shivers down my spine. On Monday too, I heard people in the upper Mushahar settlement screaming when elephants entered their settlement and caused huge damage.”

Wild elephants have been entering settlements almost on a daily basis of late, the locals said. They said they have to stay up all night in fear.

“We always fear for our lives whenever wild elephants enter the settlement,” said Ugra Narayan Sarda, another local. 

According to him, the authorities have however turned a blind eye to their woes. “Even as elephant attacks on humans and crops are increasing, the government has not shown any interest to resolve the problem,” said Sarda. 

 
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