The deaths of elephants in the Saranda forests have caused widespread distress. The death of a wounded young elephant on Thursday night led to a day of mourning in the village, with no meals prepared. This marks the third elephant death in the area, which has deepened the sense of loss in the forest.
Saranda, once filled with the sight and sound of elephants, is now becoming a site of repeated tragedy. An elephant died in Serengsia village on Thursday morning, and later, a young injured elephant succumbed to its injuries in Manoharpur during treatment.
This young elephant was a victim of a recent IED blast.
The constant deaths of elephants are testing the patience of the villagers. No cooking fires were lit in Serengsia and Manoharpur. People did not eat, and tears were shed. The villagers’ shared prayer is, “God, save these innocent animals from human cruelty.”
The local population is questioning the role of the forest department and administration.