New Delhi: A tragic incident in West Bengals Jhargram district has resulted in the death of an elephant, caused by the illegal use of spiked rods and fireballs. Conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra highlighted the event in an online post shared on Saturday. The incident occurred on Thursday when six elephants, including two calves, entered Raj College Colony and caused damage, breaking walls and destroying property. Later in the day, another elephant from the herd killed an elderly resident of the area.To control the situation, a Hulla team arrived, armed with iron rods and burning torches to drive the elephants away. Local residents claim that the team operated with the full knowledge of the Forest Department, according to Bindra. Hulla parties, known for their role in chasing elephants away from farmlands, are common in West Bengal. However, the use of spiked rods and fireballs by these groups was banned by the Supreme Court in 2018 after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Bindra and other activists.Tusker wisks away During the incident, a tusker was shot multiple times with tranquilizer darts by forest officials at the Dharampur football ground. Although the elephant was later released, it struggled to walk properly. It remains unclear if this was the same tusker that killed the elderly man earlier. One of the female elephants was severely injured when a fire-tipped iron rod struck her, damaging her spine. Despite being taken by the Forest Department for treatment after an eight-hour delay, the elephant succumbed to her injuries the next morning.This is*Against the law- #Wildlife (#Protection) Act, 1972.*Contempt of the Court: The @SupremeCourtINDhas completely banned the use & throwing of fireballs for driving elephants. This is WP-489/2018, and for what it is worth, i am the petitioner (feel an utter failure)Will… pic.twitter.com/7adDrid2un— prerna singh bindra 🐘🐅🐾 (@prernabindra) August 17, 2024Bindra voiced her outrage on X (formerly Twitter), stating, We claim to protect, worship elephants, but we cant provide them habitat, cant give them space - either physically, or in our hearts.
