A wild elephant attacked and killed a farm laborer in the Udalguri foothills at midnight after emerging from a reserve forest buffer. The lone tusker toppled the wooden watchtower where the victim was guarding crops and raided community stores. Neighbors tried to chase the animal away using drums and fire torches, but thick fog helped the elephant escape into the jungle before help arrived.
This tragic event is part of a growing number of human-elephant conflicts in the Udalguri district, which is a major elephant migration path.
Official reports state that more than 10 people died in the district in 2023, and similar deaths happened in 2026, including an elderly couple near Mazbat town. Habitat loss, land takeover, and illegal electric fences are making these conflicts worse and causing deaths among elephants too. Forest officials have pointed out that animals entering border areas are a major cause of violence and have planned to set up tracking teams.
Local farming groups are again demanding solar-powered fences and round-the-clock forest tracking units. These steps are needed to protect farming communities from regular animal attacks and to keep people safe near traditional elephant paths.
