Elephants terrorising Jhapa locals

By Bishnu Prasad Pokhrel,Damak, July 6: Wild elephants have, of late, been a panic in Jhapa, forcing locals to have several sleepless nights.

In the past week, two people were killed in the elephant attacks in the district, while another person sustained serious injuries. Both of the deceased were senior citizens.

On Monday morning, Pana Devi Shah, 80, from Mahananda Tole in Mechinagar-10, was fatally attacked by a wild elephant while she was plucking flowers in the home yard.

 Khagendra Prasad Rijal, the spokesperson for the District Police Office, Jhapa, stated that an elephant that had arrived from Magurmadi forest in India attacked Shah, killing her. She had been residing in the home of her son-in-law in Mechinagar.

In an earlier incident, Garime Karmakar, 53, from Bhadrapur-7, was fatally attacked by an elephant in Haldibari Rural Municipality-2 during the early morning hours. She passed away at the scene of the attack.

Similarly, Kamala Dhimal from Dhimal village in Buddhashanti Rural Municipality-5 sustained injuries in an elephant attack while she was working in a tea garden. She is currently receiving treatment at Birta City Hospital, Birtamod. Locals suspect that the same elephant from Mechinagar might have attacked Dhimal.

Herds of elephants frequently arrive in Jhapa from India. Arjun Karki, Ward Chairman of Mechinagar-4, reported witnessing over 100 wild elephants entering Nepal. 

He explained that the elephants enter Nepal in search of food, and when they cannot find enough, they resort to causing destruction. Avoiding encounters with elephants has become increasingly challenging for the local residents.

In recent times, wild elephants have become a significant problem for Mechinagar Municipality. Elephant control was a prominent election promise during the local election. 

Even though electric fences have been installed, they do not appear effective in controlling the movements of wild elephants.