Biratnagar, January 19
Three people have died in elephant attacks in Sundarharaicha Municipality, Morang, over the past month. One person each was killed in Wards 5, 7, and 8 of the municipality. The victims were residents of settlements bordering the forest, according to police.
On Saturday morning, 71-year-old Hariprasad Ghimire of Sundarharaicha-8 was killed by a wild elephant. Police reported that the elephant attacked Ghimire at dawn, killing him on the spot. His house is just 20 meters away from the forest.
On January 1, 61-year-old Chandrakumari Limbu of Gurung Tole, Sundarharaicha-5, died in an elephant attack while returning home with firewood from the forest. Similarly, on December 21, 40-year-old Ganga Shrestha of Sundarharaicha-7 was attacked and killed by an elephant while collecting firewood in Srijana Community Forest.
Sundarharaicha Mayor Kedar Prasad Guragai stated that elephants have made life difficult for residents. “Elephants have been wreaking havoc. People can’t sleep at night due to constant alerts. Police and even fire brigades have to be dispatched frequently,” he said, adding that elephants have destroyed crops and homes, even uprooting potatoes like monkeys.
The mayor also mentioned that affected residents are not receiving adequate compensation. “If the damage amounts to Rs 100,000, only Rs 10,000 is provided. The government must revise its compensation policy,” he said.
The municipality has sought support from the central and provincial governments to prevent elephants from entering settlements. “Fencing wires in Jhapa have helped reduce such incidents. We need similar support from the central government to control elephants,” Guragai added.
