One person was killed and houses and crops were destroyed in elephant depredation in Goalpara district in lower Assam in the past 48 hours.

On Saturday morning, an elephant entered Dhekiabari Nayapara village in lower Assam’s Goalpara district in search of food. It destroyed three houses belonging to Mamud Rabha and devoured recently harvested paddy.

On Friday night, a resident of Khardung Charakpara village under Krishnai middle range forest, Mohen Rabha, was killed when he tried to shoo away an elephant on the rampage along with some other villagers. “The elephant was demolishing the house of Mohen’s brother and we were trying to chase it away by making noises and lighting fire. But it chased back us and crushed Mohen to death,” said a villager.

A source in the forest department said the elephant had earlier damaged several houses at Charigaon village.

There has been largescale destruction of prime elephant habitats in the district, shrinking their food, and encroachment of elephant corridors, leading to man-elephant conflict. Forest department sources said 20 per cent reserve forests in the district have been encroached in the name of paddy cultivation and banana or rubber plantations.

More than 18 persons and three elephants have died in 2019 in the district.

On October 29, five persons were trampled to death by elephants in and around greater Matia under Rangjuli forest range.

In an another incident, the carcass of a three-year-old elephant was recovered from Kalyanpur range forest in West district of Tripura.