An elephant herd maurading through a state-run northern Indian sanctuary trampled to death two women inside the park on Monday, officials said. "The two women were collecting timber inside Rajaji Park when elephants trampled them to death," said G.S. Pande, director of the 700-square kilometre (270-square mile) sanctuary nestling in the Himalayan foothills.
Thousands of nomads occupy the park living off the forest, despite a ban. Such accidents are common, the officials said in Dehradun, capital of Uttaranchal Pradesh, where the park is situated.
Rajaji is one of India's 90 state-protected parks and 502 wildlife sanctuaries spanning 156,933 square kilometres (60,592 square miles) that are being destroyed by encroachment and grazing from cattle, experts say.
