Fatal Elephant Attack in Chhattisgarh: 58-Year-Old Man Killed as Human-Wildlife Conflicts Intensify

Human-elephant conflicts have escalated into a significant concern in Chhattisgarh, as illustrated by a recent tragic incident.

Korba district witnessed a fatal encounter when a 58-year-old man with mental health challenges lost his life after being trampled by wild elephants during early Thursday hours.

The deadly incident occurred approximately at 12:30 am within the forested area near Rampur village in the Kartala forest range, according to forest officials.

Upon receiving notification, forest personnel quickly arrived at the scene. The village sarpanch informed them that the victim had been experiencing mental instability and had been residing at the local bus stand for several months.

Officials reported that the unfortunate man encountered the elephant herd while wandering in the area at night, resulting in the fatal trampling.

According to forest authorities, a herd comprising 17 wild elephants has been moving through Rampur village and the surrounding forest for approximately 15 days.

Residents of multiple villages including Rampur, Chainpur, Binjkot, Nodarha, Botli, Navapara, and other neighboring settlements have received warnings about the elephants' presence in the region.

The growing human-elephant conflict has become increasingly problematic throughout Chhattisgarh over the past decade, with northern districts experiencing the most severe impacts. Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, Balrampur, and Jashpur are identified as the most affected areas.

Forest department statistics reveal the alarming toll of these encounters, with approximately 320 human fatalities resulting from elephant attacks across the state during the previous five years.