Two women from a forest village on the fringes of a reserve forest in the Bagdogra area, outside Siliguri, died in an elephant attack on Monday afternoon, police said.
Another woman was seriously injured and under treatment at a private nursing home.
Sources in the state forest department said that the incident happened near Central Forest Busty under Bagdogra forest range of Kurseong forest division when a group of women went to the forest for fodder.
Reportedly, a tusker attacked the group.
Sabitri Subba, 48, died on the spot.
As news spread, foresters and police from Bagdogra went to the jungle and found Debi Tamang, 50, and Geeta Subba, 45, injured.
Later, Debi died of injuries at hospital.
“A herd of 150-odd elephants is wandering in the forests of Bagdogra and Naxalbari. We repeatedly appeal to villagers of fringe areas to stay away from forests. Still, these women entered the forest and a tusker attacked them,” said Harikrishnan P.J., the Kurseong divisional forest officer.
Two injured at Basanti Highway
A motorcyclist and a pedestrian were injured after a private bus hit them near Sant Nirankari Ashram on Basanti Highway on Sunday afternoon, police said.