Elephant ME3 kills third farmer, sparks panic in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur

The tusker, which killed two farmers in Telangana last year, has trampled another farmer to death in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district. Authorities say the elephant strayed from its herd due to mining disruptions in Chhattisgarh

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: An elephant, identified as ME3, which had killed two farmers in Asifabad district last year, trampled another farmer to death on Sunday at Jathlapur village in Sindewahi, located in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra.

According to sources, the deceased was Kavudu Masram (55), a resident of the village. ME3, along with another elephant, had been roaming the Chandrapur forests for the past few weeks.

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The presence of the elephant had already sparked panic along the Telangana-Maharashtra border, particularly as ME3 was responsible for two farmer deaths in 2024, within two days in the district.

Wildlife officials say ME3 is believed to have strayed from its herd and migrated to Maharashtra from the eastern parts of Chhattisgarh following widespread mining activity in 2023, which disrupted its natural habitat.