Two people have been killed by wild elephants within an hour and a half in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur.

The incidents took place between 9pm and 10.30pm on Tuesday (20 May) in the Darbeshtala and Gazni areas on the border of the upazila's Kangsha union.

Md Abdul Karim, Rangtia range officer of the Forest Department, confirmed the deaths.

The dead are Azizur Rahman Akash (38), a van driver and son of Abdul Hakim of Gandhigaon village in Kangsha union, and Ephilis Hagidok (52), a CNG auto-rickshaw driver and son of Sahen Simsang of the Gazni area.

According to local people and police, a herd of 20-30 wild elephants came down into the Darbeshtala border area at around 9pm on Tuesday. Residents chased them with sticks to protect lives and property. When Akash got very close, an elephant charged him, wrapped him in its trunk and trampled him. Locals rescued him with serious injuries and took him to Jhenaigati Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.

Dr Amiya Jyoti Saifullah, resident medical officer at the health complex, said Akash died before reaching hospital, with his face and stomach crushed by the elephant's feet.

At around 10.30pm, CNG driver Ephilis Hagidok was returning home with three other local people. Near home, they came upon a herd of wild elephants standing on the road in the Gazni area. The other three ran away, but Ephilis Hagidok could not escape. An elephant wrapped him in its trunk and dashed him to the ground, killing him on the spot.

Md Al-Amin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jhenaigati police station, said preparations are under way to file two unnatural death cases.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.