Pioneer News Service
Daltonganj
The state government has notified snake bite death of human as disaster for which it gives 4 lakhs of rupees, but for death of human by bees and scorpions there is no ex gratia relief. Last year a scorpion bitten man had died in Palamu. This time a tragic occurrence happened in Latehar district.
A 55 year old maha dalit died by a sudden and ferocious attack of a swarm of bees in Latehar late Saturday afternoon August 8. The place of occurrence is Tapovan a rocky hillock also known as Tapa Pahar locally under the Latehar police station limits informed the officer in charge of the police station Ashok Paswan.
The deceased has been identified as Bakhouri Bhuiyan of Chandandeeh locality who was out in the Tapovan rocky hillock to collect the indigenous mushroom when a swarm of bees attacked him which proved fatal said the SDPO Latehar Sandip Gupta. Police have registered a UD (unnatural death) case.
A caretaker of the Tapovan rocky hillock had informed the local Latehar police about the attack on a human by a swarm of bees reminded the OC Ashok Paswan. A senior official of the Sadar hospital Latehar Ved Prakash told this correspondent on Sunday “Bhuiyan was brought dead in the Sadar hospital late Saturday afternoon.”
A wildlife activist sharing episodes of bees attack said “It’s female bees that sting. This fact is not known to many. “Bees’ stings are venomous. It causes multiple symptoms like pain, itching, redness, swelling etc. However a severe and fierce attack of swarm of bees causes instant allergic reactions which often prove fatal. Anti allergic treatment is required on the spur of the moment otherwise death is inevitable said a physician here in Daltonganj.
Forest range officer Nand Kumar Mehta said there are ‘too many beehives’ in the northern outskirt of the Tapa Pahar which when ‘disturbed’ the bees become volatile and aggressive. Beehives can be seen hanging out of the branches of Sakhuwa trees. There is an unwritten rule if in the jungles.
It’s never keep your stick or any article upward as it may come in contact with low height beehive and then all hell breaks down. Mehta said there may be two possibilities of bees going into offensive.
First the deceased might have disturbed the beehive with stone or any other thing for honey which backfired dangerously, opined the range officer.
Two there are hawk birds flying in the areas which are also known for disturbing beehives and the bees becoming revengeful could be due to hawks’ mischief Mehta said. About hawks he said “Once it hit my head too but I escaped unhurt. Hawks make a surprise dive bomb attack on its prey quite silently.”
