Guwahati, Aug 30 (IANS) An elderly couple was trampled to death by a wild elephant in Assam’s Udalguri district, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place near Mazbat town in the district. The deceased have been identified as Someshwar Gayari and Bui Gayari.

According to the forest department, the couple was in their sleep when an irate wild elephant stormed into their house in the wee hours of Wednesday. The elephant probably came out of the forest in search of food, a forest department officer said.

“Though the exact timing of the incident is unknown, it probably happened around 3 a.m.,” the officer added.

The man-elephant conflict is on the rise in Assam and since January 2022, at least 118 persons lost their lives since after they came under attack from the jumbos. 

Meanwhile, as many as 29 wild elephants have died, either after being run over by trains or other reasons, including electrocution, during the same period.

Two days ago, a wild elephant came into contact with a high voltage electric wire in the Udalguri district and died.

The incident took place in the wee hours of Monday morning at a private tea garden in Hatigarh area of the district which is not far from Indo-Bhutan border.

Dibakor Das, the Divisional Forest Officer at Udalguri told IANS, “The elephant came out from the wild in search of food and while it was collecting some foodstuff, it came into contact with a high voltage electric line. The jumbo unfortunately died on the spot.”