Rajganj, January 09 (Siliguri Chronicle) – A wild boar attack in Phulati Para village under Shikarpur Gram Panchayat of Rajganj block in Jalpaiguri district left one person dead and two others injured on Thursday afternoon, triggering panic among local residents.
The deceased has been identified as Ratiya Oraon (48), a tea garden worker. The injured are Bablu Oraon and Madan Majhi. While Bablu Oraon was discharged after receiving first aid, Madan Majhi remains in critical condition and is undergoing treatment at Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital.
According to local sources, Ratiya Oraon was resting under a tree near a tea garden close to his home after finishing work when a wild boar suddenly attacked him. He sustained severe injuries and collapsed. The animal then went on to attack two other people who were nearby.
With the help of villagers, the injured Ratiya Oraon was rushed to Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
On Friday, Rajganj MLA Khageswar Roy visited the deceased’s residence along with Rajganj Panchayat Samiti chairperson Rupali Dey Sarkar, block president Arindam Banerjee, Ranbir Majumdar and other local leaders. They met the bereaved family and expressed their condolences.
Local residents alleged that incidents involving wild animals, including elephants, have been on the rise in the area. They blamed inadequate forest department patrolling and demanded stronger monitoring and preventive measures to avoid such attacks in the future.
Terming the incident extremely tragic, MLA Khageswar Roy said it was the first reported death caused by a wild boar attack in his constituency. He assured that the victim’s family would receive compensation as per government norms.
Belakoba Range Officer Raj Kumar Pal confirmed that three people were injured in the incident, one of whom later died. He said the wild boar likely strayed into the village from a nearby forest and added that surveillance in the area has been intensified. Compensation will be provided to the deceased’s family in accordance with forest department rules, he said.
