Tusker Terror

elephants are on a ramapge in Motichoor area

P.S. Chauhan

With three villagers falling causalities to the rage of roaming elephants near Khand village a few days ago, there is panic in the villages on the periphery of the Rajaji National Park.

The sources say that when Mahavir of Khand village, his daughter-in-law Munni Devi (45 yrs), her daughter Suman (6 yrs), Manju (4 yrs) and her son Anil (2 yrs) , were coming back from Haridwar, they were suddenly assaulted by a tusker near Motichoor Railway crossing. Mahavir and Manju saved their life by running away from the spot, but Munni Devi, Suman and Anil were trampled to death by the ferocious tusker. The forest and the police personnel, who reached the spot after getting information of the incident, had a tough time in driving away the tusker in the forest by firing gun shots in the air. The forest authorities have announced an exgratia of Rs.1 lakh to the family for each of the deceased.

The next day of the incident, when the director of the park, SS Rasailly, accompanied by other park officials, reached the village, he and his team were made hostage for hours by the infuriated village folk. The forest officials were released only after they gave an assurance that adequate safety measures for the villagers will soon be initiated by the forest department. The MLA from Rishikesh, Prem Chand Agarwal, who visited the village, also blamed the forest authorities for the increasing incidents of killing of the village folk by the elephants straying out of the Rajaji Park. It is to be mentioned here that a woman was also crushed to death by a rogue elephant on this track a fortnight ago.