Udayapur elephant attack victim's family gets Rs 10 lakh in compensation

GAIGHAT: The family of a person killed in a wild elephant attack in Udayapur district has received Rs one million in compensation.

Udayapur Division Forest Office Chief Vishnu Prasad Acharya handed over the compensation provided by Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR)  to the family member of Ram Kumar Sarki of Rampur in Balaka Municipality-3 in the district. The victim's father, Dambar Bahadur received the compensation.

Sarki who was staying at home was trampled to death by an elephant inhabiting the KTWR, on August 15 last year.

A recommendation was made to Regional Forest Directorate on the compensation as per the wildlife damage relief guideline 2069, the Division Forest Office, Udayapur informed.

It has been reported that three people have lost their lives in the elephant attack in the district this year. The victims include 57-year-old Buddhiman Magar of Shukrabare in Balaka Municipality-3 and Sabitri Rai, a 78-year-old woman of Triyuga Municipality-12, Assistant Chief at Udayapur District Forest Office, Jageshwar Sah informed. He said recommendations have also been made for other victims.

Every year, herds of elephants inhabiting the KTWR stray into human settlement and damage crops and houses, and attack locals.