Elephant Attack on Chilapata Forest Road Leaves One Biker Dead, Sparks Fear Among Commuters
Fear returned to the Chilapata forest road on Friday after a deadly encounter with a wild elephant claimed the life of a motorcyclist around 12:30 pm.
Eyewitnesses said the elephant was first spotted on the forest stretch around noon, forcing vehicles to stop and resulting in long traffic queues on both sides of the road. The animal reportedly remained on the road for quite some time before moving slightly towards the forest area. However, it did not fully retreat into the jungle and was still standing close to the roadside.
Believing the situation to be safe, a few bikers tried to cross the area. Around 12:30 pm, two motorcycles traveling from opposite directions came close to the elephant and reportedly lost balance. The sudden movement alarmed the animal, which charged at the bikes. Out of the four riders, three managed to escape, but one was unable to get away and was trampled to death at the spot. In a separate moment of panic, one rider fled towards the forest and was briefly chased by the elephant.
After being alerted, police reached the scene, recovered the body, and worked to normalize traffic on the road. The elephant later moved back into the forest. Sources confirmed that while one person died, the other three riders suffered minor injuries during their escape.
The deceased has been identified as Bappi Ram, a resident of Shalbarhi under Alipurduar Block No. 1. He had traveled to Hasimara for motorcycle repairs and was returning home when the incident occurred.
This incident has intensified concern among people using the Chilapata forest route. While stronger safety measures from the Forest Department are being demanded, commuters are also being urged to exercise extreme caution while traveling through wildlife-prone areas.
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