Elephant dies in West Bengal’s Jhargram after locals use banned rods, fireballs | Video

An elephant died in West Bengal’s Jhargram district after locals used spiked sticks and fireballs to drive it away – a practice that has been banned.

Highlighting Thursday’s incident, conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra demanded accountability in a social media post on X.

“We need accountability. And we need it to stop. Such death and constant harassment and torture is not the first time (even from the SC order),” she wrote in her post shared on Saturday, accompanied by disturbing videos and photos of the incident.

In the video, a large crowd can be seen using fireballs on sticks to chase away the elephants while shouting.

On Thursday morning, six elephants, including two calves, entered the Raj College colony, causing damage and killing an elderly resident of the colony, NDTV reported.

Bindra claimed that as the elephants were rampaging through the area, a ‘Hulla’ team equipped with iron rods and lighted torches was called in to chase them away. She also claimed that the team functioned with full awareness of the Forest Department.

“Would like to hear from @moefcc and @ForestDeptWB now about the horrendous harassment, torture and killing of an #elephant in #Jhargam #WestBengal by a ‘Hulla Party’ in plain sight and with the knowledge, if not approval, of officials.” she stated.

“Hulla” parties tasked with driving elephants from farmland use methods like spiked rods and fireballs, which the Supreme Court banned in 2018 following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bindra and others activists.

“Honorable Court: @SupremeCourtIND has completely banned the use and throwing of fireballs for driving elephants. This is WP-489/2018 and for what it’s worth, I am the petitioner,” she noted.