Human-Elephant Conflict Deaths Surge in West Midnapore; Experts Reveal 2 Causes

• Human-elephant conflict is escalating in West Midnapore and surrounding areas, leading to a rise in human fatalities.
• Multiple deaths have been reported in 2023 and 2024, including incidents in Shalboni, Keshiary, Keshpur, Goaltore, and Jhargram.
• Experts cite two main reasons for the conflict: elephants venturing into human areas for food, and people approaching elephants out of curiosity.
• The Forest Department conducts awareness campaigns and has introduced a special drone for night surveillance of elephants to mitigate the conflict.

Why It Matters: Increasing elephant attacks highlight critical safety issues for residents.