- Title: INDIA: Killer elephant 'Laden' shot in India's eastern Bokaro
- Date: 31st May 2008
- Summary: (W3)BOKARO (MAY 31, 2008) (ANI) VILLAGERS DEAD ELEPHANT A MAN STRIKING DEAD ELEPHANT WITH STICK (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) A.K PATRA, FOREST CONSERVATOR, SAYING: "The elephant was called laden as he was responsible for killing many people from the year 2000. The elephant has killed several people in the last few years in Bokara Dhanbad and also on the borders of Bengal." VILLAGERS IN FIELD
- Embargoed: 15th June 2008 15:43
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVABBPC29DXAVPMT29AIM6NHNRIP
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Authorities in India's eastern Jharkhand shoot dead an elephant nicknamed
"Osama bin Laden" that has killed more than 11 people and injured dozens.
An elephant named "Osama bin Laden" that has killed more than 11 people and injured dozens over the past few months was shot dead in Jharkhand, officials said on Saturday (May 31) The wild male elephant, had been terrorising villagers in the state, destroying their crops and homes.
Hundreds of villagers gathered on Saturday to catch a glimpse of the dead elephant.
"The elephant was called laden as he was responsible for killing many people from the year 2000. The elephant has killed several people in last few years in Bokara Dhanbad and also on the borders of Bengal," said A.K Patra, Forest Conservator.
The elephant had become a menace in an around Bokaro for the last couple of years.
Elephants are a protected and endangered species in India.
India has nearly half of the world's 60,000 Asian elephants, with around 5,000 in India's eastern Assam, according to a census conducted in 2002.
But conservationists say the pachyderm population has fallen rapidly in recent years because of loss of habitat as a result of human encroachment into forest areas, leading to human- elephant conflicts.
ENDS. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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