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Attacking elephant
A villager was trampled to death by an elephant in Bankura district when he was returning home after attending 'Gajan' festivities last night.

50-year-old Swapan Bauri was cycling back home in Baguli village after attending 'Gajan' or 'Charak Puja' festivities in Kandashole village when he was chased by two male elephants.

One of the pachyderms lifted him by his trunk and then trampled him to death at Kadashole, Borjora Forest Ranger, Mohan Chandra Shit said today.

The villagers sat on a protest today demanding adequate compensation to the victim's family following which the Forest Ranger was asked to be present at a meeting between the residents and the police at the local police station, he said.

The Ranger said as per official norms, Rs 1.25 lakh was paid as compensation to Bauri's family and another Rs 1.25 lakh would be paid to them after his postmortem.

Man-elephant conflict is a problem in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapur districts of the state as elephant herds from Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary of neighbouring Jharkhand migrate to the areas resulting in degradation of crops and property as well as injury and loss of human lives.

Source: Press Trust of India