Kumaram Bheem (Telangana): Two farmers were killed by a wild tusker in multiple attacks on Wednesday and Thursday in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad district of Telangana in a first of its kind elephant attack in the state, officials said. The twin incidents have come as a surprise since Telangana does not have wild tuskers.
In the first attack, the wild tusker, which is believed to have strayed into the state from Maharashtra, attacked Alluri Shankar, a farmer who was working at his farm on the outskirts of Burepalli village on Wednesday April 3 leading to his on the spot death, an official said.
According to Sirpur (T) FRO Purnachander, Alluri Shankar (45) of Bhoorepelli village cultivated chilies in his two-acre field. While working at his farm with his wife on Wednesday, the wild tusker appeared in the farm suddenly. Shankar's wife saw it approaching and raised an alarm. Shankar stayed on the farm but was attacked by the elephant and died on the spot as per the officer.
In the second incident on Thursday April 4, the wild tusker attacked and killed another farmer identified as Taru Poshanna (50) in Kondapalli of Penchikalapet mandal in the district.
The twin fatal attacks have triggered panic in the surrounding areas. District Forest Officer Neeraj Kumar Tibriwal reached the spot and issued instructions to the forest department staff to tackle the wild tusker and alert the people of the surrounding villages. The elephant is believed to have entered the state by crossing the Pranahita river which borders Telangana and Maharashtra.
Locals said that after the attacks, the elephant left the suburb of Bhurepelli and was wandering along the Pranahita project canal between Lambadiheti and Gangapur villages in the mandal.
Forest Minister Konda Surekha expressed shock over the death of a farmer in an elephant attack. An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh has been announced to the family of the deceased.
