A forest guard died in an elephant attack at the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Alipurduar district on Saturday, soon after the census for herbivores started in the reserve forest.
Angry residents from the village of deceased Kayem Mian, 57, demonstrated in front of the local forest range office and ransacked a vehicle of the state forest department.
Senior foresters intervened and announced a job for the deceased's next of kin and compensation.
Sources said that from Saturday, a six-day operation to count herbivores started at the BTR. “As a part of the exercise, the transact method or direct sighting of animals is also followed. Three forest guards moved into the core area and were supposed to walk on a route, recording the data of animals which they see on the way,” said a department source.
Accordingly, Kayem along with two others started moving through the Tashigaon watchtower under the Jainti range of the east division of the BTR.
On their way, they suddenly came across a wild elephant, which charged at Kayem, wrapped him with its trunk and tossed him on the ground.
One of the two guards fired one round in the blank to scare the elephant. Allegedly, after that round, the rifle didn’t work and he couldn’t fire any further rounds. Hence, the two guards fled to save their lives.
The guards informed the range office. Additional personnel rushed to the attack spot, but by then Kayem had died.
As the news spread, Kayem's family members and neighbours got agitated and reached the range office in Jainti. They resorted to a demonstration. A section of them vandalised a government vehicle parked nearby.
Abdul Kader, Kayem’s brother, said: "My brother was an elderly employee and yet was sent on foot to an inaccessible area in the core of the BTR. We have learnt that the rifle (of the other guard) didn’t work. How can the department provide such faulty and old guns to guards who risk their lives in the forest?"
Senior forest officials said they are probing the incident.
“It is unfortunate. We are conducting an inquiry. Let us assert that the deceased forest guard’s family will get compensation and one of his family members will get a job under the rules,” said Apurba Sen, the field director of the BTR.
