The attacks took place at Nashigram village and Baghasole village when two elephants got detached from their groups in Galsi and Chandul in Burdwan on Saturday.
Advertisement
In addition to the five deaths in Burdwan District there were two people who survived the attacks but were badly injured.
They damaged paddy crops in a nearby field and one of them flung the man in the air, then trampled him to death.
It is the latest deadly attack by the wild elephant herd in the rural West Bengal area in the past few days.
West Bengal forest minister Benoy Krishna Burman said the elephants had been angered by the victims, who had thrown stones at them in attempt to scare them away.
Just last month, a wild elephant went on a rampage in the east Indian town of Siliguri (pictured above), smashing homes, trampling cars, and sending panicked residents running.
Forest officials were given orders to tranquilize the elephants, but some, including a mother and her calf, managed to flee.
Elephant attacks in eastern India are on the rise with environmentalists saying one of the main reasons is due to the destruction of natural animal habitats and the blurring of animal and human living space.
Advertisement
Animals and humans have come into increasing conflict as rapid urbanisation cuts into India’s forests.
