Jhapa:  An elderly individual tragically lost their life this morning when a wild tusker crushed them in Mechinagar Municipality-10. The victim, identified as Panna Devi Saha, 80 years old, was on her way to collect flowers for worship when the elephant fatally injured her on the road. Narayan Khanal, the chairperson of Mechinagar Ward 10, confirmed the incident and expressed his condolences.

Panna Devi Saha was originally from Silgudhi but had been residing with her daughter for the past year. Her life was abruptly cut short by the tusker's attack, marking yet another unfortunate incident in the area. Just six days ago, another individual named Giren Karmakar, 53 years old and a resident of Halidibari rural municipality-2, lost his life while collecting mushrooms due to a similar wild tusker attack.

Meghraj Rai, the Chief of the Division Forest Office in Jhapa, provided information regarding the alarming frequency of such incidents. He stated that eight individuals have already lost their lives in tusker attacks in Jhapa during the current fiscal year. These unfortunate events highlight the urgent need for measures to mitigate the human-elephant conflict in the region.

The loss of innocent lives due to wild tusker encounters serves as a reminder of the importance of wildlife conservation and finding effective solutions to minimize these conflicts. Authorities and local communities must work together to develop strategies that ensure the safety of both humans and animals.