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Assam man killed, two injured as wild elephants enter Tamulpur; villagers protest
A herd of wild elephants entered a residential area in Assam’s Tamulpur on Wednesday evening and killed a 41-year-old man a resident of Abhaypur
Silchar: A 41-year-old man was killed and two others were injured after a herd of wild elephants entered a residential area in Assam’s Tamulpur on Wednesday evening, following which villagers protested against forest officials.
The deceased was identified as Tara Mohan Mandal, a resident of Abhaypur in Tamulpur district. He was attacked around 5pm near his home.
Mandal was taken to Kumarikata Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, according to Tamulpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tabu Ram Pegu.
Two other villagers were also injured and are undergoing treatment. Their condition is reported to be stable, police said.
Following the fatal incident, tension escalated in the area as residents accused the forest department of ignoring repeated warnings about increased elephant movement. Enraged locals vandalised a forest department vehicle, prompting authorities to deploy additional police and forest personnel to restore order.
Villagers said wild elephant movement has increased across Tamulpur and adjoining areas in recent months. At least four people have died and over 30 others have been injured in the last month, they said.
Forest officials attributed the surge in elephant movement to the ongoing paddy harvesting season, which often draws elephant herds into human settlements in search of food, increasing conflicts.
Officials said efforts are being made to track elephant corridors and alert local communities, but the scale of movement has risen due to habitat pressure.
Residents have demanded long-term mitigation measures, including early-warning systems, dedicated forest outposts, and stronger coordination between police, forest staff, and the local administration to prevent further casualties.
