Wild elephant demolishes three homes in Assam's Kaliabor, families demand compensation

Three families in Ranglu Paharguri narrowly escaped death after a wild elephant from Kaziranga National Park destroyed their homes during an early morning rampage.

 

The elephant reduced the houses belonging to Parbati Devi, Gopal Thakur and Pradeshwari Vaishnav to rubble, leaving the residents with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The incident has intensified concerns about human-elephant conflict in the region.

 

All three families managed to flee their homes moments before the animal struck, though they described the ordeal as harrowing. They have since called on the government to provide immediate compensation for their losses.

 

The attack comes despite local claims that the state's Gajmitra scheme, designed to mitigate human-elephant conflict, has been functioning effectively in the area. The initiative aims to create elephant corridors and reduce encounters between wildlife and residential zones.

 

Kaliabor's proximity to Kaziranga National Park has long made it vulnerable to such incidents, particularly during seasonal elephant movements. Residents say attacks have become more frequent in recent months, raising questions about the adequacy of existing protection measures.

 

Forest officials have yet to comment on the incident or confirm whether the affected families will receive compensation under existing wildlife damage relief schemes.