Carcass of a female jumbo was found at the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) and two persons were reported dead in elephant attacks in Alipurduar district on Thursday.
According to local sources, around 10 elephants entered Panbari village — adjacent to Panbari forest under Gadadhar range of the BTR (west) division — on Wednesday night. The residents tried to contact foresters but failed.
On Thursday morning, an adult female elephant was found lying dead in a paddy field. It is suspected that the jumbo was pregnant.
The foresters said the elephant herd had returned to the Panbari forest and preliminary probe suggests that the animal died as it slipped because of heavy rainfall.
“We are, however, waiting for the autopsy reports to ascertain the actual cause of death,” said Budhraj Sewa, field director of the BTR.
Meanwhile, Dhumra Minj, 45, a resident of Panbari village, was trampled to death by an elephant in the Panbari forest on Thursday morning.
His body was later recovered by police.
In another incident, a wild elephant attacked the hutment of Bimal Roy, 49, at Uttar Shidhabari village near Jaldapara National Park on Wednesday night.
Sources said the tusker first attacked the hutment and then trampled to death Roy.
Three dead in accident
Three persons died while five others, including a child, suffered serious injuries when a dump-truck collided with a jeep on Thursday afternoon in Alipurduar.
The incident took place near Dalmore tea estate on Birpara-Lankapara Road in the district.
The deceased have been identified as Gulasan Suri, 48, Asha Oraon, 45, and Salu Oraon, 44, all residents of Garganda tea estate.
The injured have been admitted to NBMCH.
