One killed by elephant in West Bengal

KOLKATA - One person was killed by an elephant in West Bengal’s Bankura district early Monday - the second such incident in the district in two days, police said.

Bankura Police superintendent Pranav Kumar said: “Early Monday morning an elephant lifted 32 year old Karun Banerjee with its trunk and then smashed him on the ground. Banerjee died on the spot.”

The incident occurred at Shipla village in Bankura district, when the victim was out in the fields.

Banerjee’s death takes to two the number of those killed by elephants in the district since Sunday.

“The other person was killed at Patrasayer village August 8 in a similar manner by another elephant,” said a police officer.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Bankura, Kulan Daivel said: “A makna (lone) elephant came out of the Shipla forest and killed Banerjee. It was not a rogue elephant but has turned quite aggressive after being separated from the herd, which migrated from Dalma range every year”.

“Now there are at least 20 makna elephants in Bankura, out of which three will be declared rogues”.

Already an elephant was declared rogue and order to kill it also issued.

But senior forest officials later reconsidered the decision and the elephant has been kept under observation in captivity.

The DFO also said compensation of Rs.50,000 has already been handed over to the family members of Karun Banerjee. Another Rs.50,000 will be handed over to them after the official process get completed.