Elephant Kills Woman in Assam Following Severe Floods

Guwahati: A wild elephant trampled 56-year-old Chanju Urang to death in the Tinsukia district of Assam early on July 22. Urang, a widow living in Na Bormura Miripathar Dhola village, was busy with morning chores in her courtyard at 4:30 am when the animal charged. The beast strayed from the flood-ravaged Dibru-Saikhowa National Park into the human settlement. She had no chance.

Family members rushed to help, but the elephant killed her instantly before retreating into the brush. A relative noted that "Urang had stepped outside before dawn as part of her daily routine when the attack occurred, leaving virtually no time for anyone to rescue her." She is survived by her daughter and granddaughter.

Dhola Police and Forest Department officials arrived at the scene following the tragedy. The body went to Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem. Forest authorities confirm that the animal moved into the revenue village because monsoon floods submerged most of its natural habitat in the nearby park.

The Forest Department intends to pay ex gratia compensation to the family once legal paperwork finishes. Frightened villagers now demand better protections against aggressive wildlife. They want the government to build artificial highlands inside the park to keep animals away from homes. These refuges could stop the animals from wandering into villages when the rains hit.