Forest Officials Clarify Killing Wild Buffalo in Biswanath

Within hours of accusations levelled against the Forest Department officials of Biswanath Chariali for shooting down a wild water buffalo on Friday, the forest department held a press conference to put forth their reasons behind the killing. Explaining their stand, the forest officials said that they killed the wild buffalo in self-defence.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Biswanath, Mukut Das said, "On Friday a wild buffalo killed one person named Sukur Ali in Komalia village in Biswanath, Assam. And after the incident took place our officials along with police personnel reached the spot and tried to chase the buffalo towards the forest. The buffalo tried to attack the forest personnel. This forced our forest officials to shoot in order to save their lives. The buffalo died on the spot."

"We also informed the doctors from Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and along with the doctors we tried to tranquilize the animals, however, we failed to do so," he added.

DFO Mukut Das further stated that one person died after he was attacked by an elephant. The elephant has been tranquilized. Regarding the matter related to the wild water buffalo case, the official said that the department is investigating if it the dead buffalo who killed Jayanta Das in Kali Matak village in Biswanath and Suku Ali in Komalia village as has been claimed by the villagers. Earlier on Thursday and Friday, two people were killed and three others including a woman and a six-year-old child were seriously injured after being attacked by the wild water buffalo. The forest department had come under fire for alleged delayed response to the entire incident.

The forest department said that it would provide financial assistance to both the families and provide better treatment to all the people injured in the attacks.

An official of East Sonitpur Forest Circle said that they would try to implement solar fencing in the area from where the wild animals frequently strayed out to the villages if they get the fund from the district administration and World Wildlife Fund and the public provide the bamboo and workers.