A rogue elephant that has killed at least 15 people in the eastern parts of India in the past few months may be shot within days if it is not brought under control, a wildlife official told the media on Wednesday.
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According to AFP, Jharkhand's chief forest and wildlife conservator L.R. Singh said that Wildlife rangers and hunters had assembled in the state after the elephant trampled to death another man on Tuesday evening.
The rogue elephant had killed four people in Bihar before it entered the neighbouring state of Jharkhand where it crushed to death 11 more people.
"Villagers are living in fear, especially the Paharia tribe that lives in the upper hillier regions where the elephant roams. Something must be done," Singh said. The Paharia tribe is said to be one of the poorest indigenous tribal communities in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.
'We have a team of experts and hunters here with us. We are brainstorming a solution... one of them is to shoot the animal. But that's the last resort and we will take a call in a day or two," he added.
Reports claim that the elephant must have separated from its herd and was feeling lost. Singh also added that around 60 people are killed by elephants every year in Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, the environment ministry says that one person dies every day in India owing to clashes with these endangered animals -- the majority being victims of elephants.
Singh has pointed out that the increasing man animal conflict is the result of encroachment of the habitat of the animals.
Railway tracks are also laid down in forests to improve connectivity. However, every year many elephants die after getting hit by speeding trains while crossing the lines.
A report by the Elephant task force, commissioned by the ministry of environment, revealed that 150 elephants were crushed to death by speeding trains between 1987 and 2010.
