Man accused of killing elephant dies in elephant attack in Cox’s Bazar

A man who was accused in a case filed over the killing of an elephant was ironically trampled to death by a herd of elephants at Chokoria upazila of Cox's Bazar on Saturday. 

The deceased, Jane Alam, 37, was the second accused in the case filed over the murder of an elephant by electrocution at the upazila's Harbang area on November 13. 

"He was one of the five accused in the case for killing a 15 to 17-year-old male elephant just two weeks ago.

"On Saturday evening he was attacked by a herd of elephants when he went to the forest area of Harbang and died on the spot," Anwar Hossain Sarkar, divisional forest officer of Cox's Bazar Forest Division (north), told The Business Standard. 

In the month of November, at least seven elephants were reportedly killed by electrocution and shooting in Sherpur, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, according to the forest department. 

Of the three killed in Cox's Bazar one was shot dead while two others were electrocuted.

When contacted, Md Sajjad Hossain, a ranger of the Cox's Bazar Forest Division (north), said that elephants do can recognise threats and act upon them. "This animal can recognize the source of threat from odour within a short period of time and can avenge the killing of their mates."