Man accused of killing elephant trampled by herd of elephants

A herd of elephants trampled a man to death yesterday. The deceased was accused in a case over killing an elephant -- allegedly with electric fence -- at Harbang area of Chakaria.

Miscreants laid an electric trap to stave off elephants. A baby elephant got caught and died on November 13 at Jangal Harbang area.

The deceased, Jane Alam (35) -- son of Shamsul Alam of Harbang village -- was the number two accused in the case filed by Forest Department soon after the elephant killing.

Md Shafiqul Islam, divisional forest officer of Chattogram Forest Division (South) told The Daily Star that Jane Alam set up the deadly electric trap to stop elephants from raiding his crops.

A male elephant treaded into the trap and died. Later it was buried by the accused, he said, adding that they filed a case accusing five where Jane Alam was number two accused.

Jane Alam went to the forest yesterday evening to oversee his crops with others. When he was returning, the same herd of the elephants trampled him -- leaving him dead on the spot, the forest officer said.

There has been a spate of elephant killing in Sherpur, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. The current month alone saw seven elephants electrocuted and shot dead.

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in a study in 2016 found Bangladesh has 256 elephants. Since 2001, the country lost 138 elephants for various reasons -- mostly electrocution and shooting.

Monirul H Khan, wildlife biologist and professor of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University told The Daily Star that elephants can recognise threat and the source of threat from odour for a short time and can avenge the killing of their mate.