Elephant Dies In West Bengal's Jhargram After Locals Use Banned Spiked Rods, Fireballs | Video

An elephant died in Jhargram district, West Bengal, after locals used spiked rods and fireballs to drive it away—a practice that has been banned.

Highlighting the incident from Thursday, conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra called for accountability in a social media post on X.

“We need accountability. And we need this to stop. Such death and constant harassment and torture is not the first time (even since 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 drive the elephants away while shouting.

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

Bindra alleged that as elephants rampaged through the area, a ‘Hulla’ team equipped with iron rods and burning torches was called in to drive them away. She also claimed that the team operated with full awareness of the Forest Department.

“I would like to hear from @moefcc and @ForestDeptWB now on the horrific harassment, torture and killing of an #elephant in #Jhargam #WestBengal by a ‘Hulla Party’ in full view and knowledge if not endorsement of the & officials,” she stated.

‘Hulla’ parties, tasked with driving elephants away from farmlands, use methods such as spiked rods and fireballs, which the Supreme Court banned in 2018 following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bindra and other activists.

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