2 labourers injured in elephant attack

Lakhimpur Kheri, Dec 13 (IANS) Two labourers working in a sugarcane field were injured after they were attacked by a herd of elephants near Maheshpur range in the social forestry region of Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district.

The two have been admitted to the district hospital in Lakhimpur with multiple fractures.

The victims have been identified as Mohammed Imamuddin, 55, and Nizamuddin, 50.

Divisional Forest Officer Sanjay Biswal said: "The attack seems to be accidental and the victims were fortunate to have survived elephant attack. We are waiting for the elephants to start their reverse migration."

A herd of nearly 20 elephants including two calves are camping in the area since they migrated from Nepal during monsoon period.

The elephants have wreaked havoc in the area for over two months and have destroyed over 50 acres of cane field this season.