In recent days, large herds of wild elephants have been roaming near Ambanpola, and several semi-domesticated elephants living among them are reported to have carried out these attacks.
On Sunday, a retired army officer from the Ambanpola–Nelawa area was killed when he attempted to chase away a wild elephant that entered his home garden.
Before the funeral of that victim was even completed, another tragic incident occurred today in the Abakolawewa area of Ambanpola. A mother and her daughter were attacked while tending to their paddy field near a stream, where they had gone to apply fertilizer to their crops. The daughter died from the attack, while the mother has been reported to be in critical condition.
Villagers claim that both incidents were caused by the same tusked wild elephant and are urging authorities to take immediate action to resolve the situation.