Man killed in wild elephant attack in Assam’s Goalpara

A man was killed in a wild elephant attack in Assam’s Goalpara district on October 1 attempting to drive away a herd that had entered paddy fields in the Mariyam Nagar area.

The deceased was identified as Abdul Rahim, a resident of Maylapathar in Goalpara town.

According to preliminary information, Rahim was trying to drive the elephants away by bursting firecrackers when one of the animals attacked him. He sustained serious injuries and later died.

The incident has raised fresh concerns among residents as the same herd has reportedly been moving through the area for several days.

A few days ago, an elephant carcass was found in a paddy field around 500 metres from the site of Thursday’s fatal attack.

The situation escalated further on Wednesday afternoon when two elephants from the herd reportedly fell into a drain in the agricultural fields. The herd subsequently managed to pull the two elephants out of the drain after considerable effort.

Thursday’s fatal attack occurred around 500–700 metres from the earlier locations, highlighting the continued movement of the herd through the agricultural areas.

Residents have expressed concern over the growing human-elephant conflict in the area and urged the Forest Department to take immediate measures to prevent further casualties while also ensuring the safety of the elephants.