Kamrup, Assam — In a tragic discovery, the carcasses of two wild elephants were found in separate locations within the West Kamrup Divisional Forest area of Kamrup District on Monday, sparking concerns about rising human-elephant conflicts in the region.
The first discovery was made by villagers near Pakharapara village, who spotted the remains of a male sub-adult elephant, estimated to be under 10 years old, lying in a paddy field. Singra Forest Range Officer Bhargab Hazarika and his team responded swiftly, with Hazarika indicating that preliminary signs suggested electrocution as a possible cause of death.
“We suspect the elephant may have come into contact with electric fencing used by some residents to protect crops,” Hazarika said. A state veterinarian has been called in to perform a post-mortem, with results expected to confirm the exact cause of death.
Residents of the area voiced frustration, pointing to expanding encroachment into the Mouman Reserve Forest, which has fueled an increase in man-elephant conflicts. “The encroachment is disturbing wildlife habitats and bringing elephants dangerously close to human settlements,” a local resident commented. Conservationists in the area have urged the forest department to survey and secure these encroached zones, emphasizing the need for preventive strategies.
Shortly after the Pakharapara incident, villagers in Dhangargaon, under the Kulshi Forest Range, found another elephant carcass, this one belonging to a 25-year-old male. Kulshi Forest Range Officer Kankan Jyoti Kaushik reported that while the exact cause of death remains undetermined, initial indications also pointed to electrocution. “We have initiated a full investigation and are awaiting the post-mortem results to confirm the cause,” Kaushik said, adding that legal action would follow if individuals were found responsible.
Both incidents have highlighted the increasing human-elephant conflict in the area, with the West Kamrup Divisional Forest Office now tasked with addressing the pressing issue. Forest officials have pledged to implement stricter measures under the Forest Act if investigations uncover any illegal activities linked to the deaths.
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