[ Pisi Zauing ]
NINGRANG, 26 Feb: A wild male elephant attacked two villagers of Ningrang village – Gam Ong Singpho and Gumgi La Singpho – when they were performing rituals [dangariya puja] on the outskirts of the village at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday. The village falls under Miao administrative circle of Changlang district.
Considering the seriousness of his condition, the family members and villagers immediately rushed Gam Ong Singpho to the Namsai district hospital, and he was later shifted to Aditya Superspecialty Hospitals in Dibrugarh, Assam, for advanced medical treatment.
According to the X-ray and medical reports, Gam Ong Singpho sustained multiple internal injuries in the thoracic region. He is undergoing treatment and is under observation 24/7.
Gumgi La Singpho suffered chest injury but due to financial constraints, he is undergoing treatment at home.
Meanwhile, the offices of the additional deputy commissioner and the conservator of forests & field director, Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve (NNP&TR) have issued urgent advisories to safeguard lives and prevent further man-elephant conflict.
The advisories strictly direct villagers to avoid venturing alone into forested areas, particularly during early morning and night hours, when elephant movement is more frequent.
In cases of unavoidable or emergency work, residents have been strongly advised to move in groups and, wherever possible, carry communication devices.
Villagers have also been cautioned against grazing livestock deep inside forest areas, and have been instructed to immediately report any wildlife movement or unusual signs to the nearest beat office or range forest office.
“Special care must be taken to ensure that children and elderly persons do not move unattended near forest fringes,” the advisories read.
The local administration and the NNP&TR authorities have further urged the public not to spread rumours or create panic, and to rely solely on official communication from the administration or the forest department to avoid further untoward incidents.
For any information or emergency assistance, villagers have been advised to contact RFO Tukam Matcha of the mini-zoo in Miao at 70056 42711.
All residents have been directed to strictly adhere to the advisories until further notice, as authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
