Elephant Dies After Attack in West Bengal

An adult female elephant in Jhargram, West Bengal, died after being attacked with banned spiked rods and fireballs by a 'Hulla' group attempting to drive it away. This incident occurred after another elephant from the same herd allegedly killed a local resident, prompting the forest department to call in the 'Hulla' team. Conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra highlighted the incident on social media, condemning the involvement and complicity of the forest department. The Supreme Court had banned such practices in 2018 following a Public Interest Litigation filed by Bindra and others. Despite attempts to rescue the injured elephant, it was not treated for over eight hours and ultimately succumbed to its injuries. Animal rights activists are calling for more effective and humane methods to manage human-elephant conflicts and accountability for the use of banned techniques.