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Assam : In a tragic incident, a man identified as Padma Bherua lost his life on Tuesday in Assam’s Majuli district after being attacked by an adult wild rhino. The incident occurred in Bhokot Chapori village under Padumani Police Station, raising concerns among locals about the need for preventive measures.
According to eyewitnesses, the wild rhino emerged from a nearby forest, crossing the Brahmaputra river on Tuesday morning. As it ventured into residential areas, panic ensued, and the rhino, seemingly frightened, began attacking people. Padma Bherua became a victim of one such attack.
After the incident, the rhino retreated from the area. The locals, assisted by forest officials, promptly transported Padma to a nearby public health center. Unfortunately, the doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Expressing concern over the incident, locals pointed fingers at the forest department, emphasizing that such encounters were not unprecedented. The community highlighted a lack of preventive measures, citing previous instances of wild animals crossing the river and posing a threat to residents.
“This is not a new incident; rhinos and wild animals have crossed the river and attacked locals, but no preventive measures have been taken,” the locals asserted.
Forest officials, in response, explained that wild animals often venture into human settlements in search of food. However, they admitted that the animals might become aggressive when confronted with humans.
The recent incident follows a similar occurrence on February 14, where a forest guard sustained severe injuries in a wild rhino attack at Kaziranga National Park. These incidents underscore the complex coexistence between wildlife and human settlements, prompting a renewed call for measures to mitigate such encounters and ensure the safety of both humans and animals in the region.
