Mild quake hits Assam’s Dima Hasao district; no casualties reported
A mild earthquake, measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale, hit Assam’s mountainous Dima Hasao district on Saturday night, officials said.
A forest officer was killed and three others were injured in an attack by a herd of wild elephants in the Mariani Forest Range in Upper Assam.
The deceased, Atul Kalita, an officer from the Mariani Forest Range, faced a dire situation late on Thursday night in the village of Bijoy Nagar, Titabor, when he, along with his colleagues, confronted a group of wild elephants that had gone berserk.
Regrettably, the forest personnel were ill-equipped for such an encounter. They lack the necessary weapons and gear. This vulnerability ultimately led to a devastating outcome.
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During the confrontation, Atul Kalita lost his life while three other members of the forest team, Rajiv Burhagohain, Paragjyoti Dutta, and Giren Mahatto, sustained serious injuries.
Efforts were made to transport the injured immediately to the Mariani Forest Department office for hospitalization, officials said. However, the department faced a logistical challenge as it did not possess adequate vehicles to facilitate the transportation of the injured.
The loss of Atul Kalita has cast a pall of gloom over the entire area, as the community mourns the tragic death of this dedicated forest worker.
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