Man trampled to death by wild elephant in Maungdaw Twsp

By Admin 09 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
9 December 2023, Maungdaw

A Muslim man from Ngan Chaung Village in northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, was trampled to death by a wild elephant on Saturday morning.

The 60-year-old was guarding his paddy fields against wild animals together with his son when he was fatally attacked by the wild elephant, according to a family member. 

“The elephant came to eat ripe rice plants, and as he tried to shoo it away, he was attacked. The son escaped. The father was trampled by the elephant. The whole body was crushed,” said the family member.

A 40-year-old man from Laungdone village in northern Maungdaw was also trampled to death by a wild elephant on December 1. He too was guarding his paddy fields against wild animals that would come to eat ripe rice plants at night.

“Wild elephants are very aggressive. They would kill humans on sight,” said a resident of Ngan Chaung Village.

When in herds, wild elephants are less likely to attack humans, and they can be driven away. But a lone elephant tends to attack humans during encounters.

Local residents use different methods including hitting pots and pans to make loud noises, attacking with slingshots, and using high-powered torches to drive away wild elephants that come near to their villages, farms and paddy fields.

Villages near the Mayu mountains in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships face the danger of wild elephants in Arakan State.