In a tragic incident on Sunday, two children lost their lives in an elephant attack in the Premnagar area of Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh. District Forest Officer (DFO) Pankaj Kumar confirmed the fatalities and stated that the Forest Department has provided immediate compensation to the grieving family. “Two children died in an elephant attack in Surajpur. The incident occurred in the Premnagar area of Surajpur. The Forest Department has provided the bereaved family with immediate compensation,” he said.
The victims were identified as siblings: a 12-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister. They were reportedly playing near their home when a wild elephant, separated from its herd, entered the village and attacked them. Despite immediate medical attention, both children succumbed to their injuries. District Forest Officer (DFO) Pankaj Kumar confirmed the fatalities and stated that the Forest Department has provided immediate compensation to the grieving family.
“Two children died in an elephant attack in Surajpur. The incident occurred in the Premnagar area of Surajpur. The Forest Department has provided the bereaved family with immediate compensation,” he said.
This incident is part of a series of human-elephant conflicts in Chhattisgarh. In August 2024, a wild elephant trampled two women to death in Korba district, hours after killing another woman in the same area. The pachyderm also trampled five cows and calves to death in Khodri village.
In July 2024, two brothers were trampled to death by a wild elephant in Jashpur district. The incident occurred around 3:00 am in Kersai village under Tapkara forest range when the victims were sleeping in their mud house.
In September 2023, two women were killed and a man was injured after they were attacked by a wild elephant in Korba district. The incident took place around 1 pm in the coal dumping area of the Chotia coal mine under the Katghora forest range.
These incidents highlight the ongoing human-elephant conflicts in Chhattisgarh, particularly in the northern part of the state. Districts such as Surguja, Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, Jashpur, and Balrampur have been facing this menace for the last decade. According to the forest department, over 300 people were killed in elephant attacks in the state in the last five years.
The Forest Department continues to monitor elephant movements and advises residents in affected areas to exercise caution. Efforts are being made to mitigate these conflicts and ensure the safety of both humans and elephants.