BARIPADA: Residents of Haldia panchayat in Mayurbhanj’s Karanjia are having sleepless nights for the last three days as an 18-member elephant herd has strayed into the villages from neighbouring Keonjhar district and is raiding crops and damaging houses. While no casualty has been reported so far, the herd is wreaking havoc by destroying crops and breaking into houses in search of food across 12 villages in the range. According to forest officials, the herd has returned to the area after three months.
In Mahuliasuli village, three houses of villagers suffered partial damage after the herd broke in on Friday night. Earlier on Thursday, a thatched house of a villager caved in when the pachyderms tried breaking in while looking for fodder. Voicing their distress, affected residents like Jena Chhattar of Routalipat, Mina Chhattar of Tutisahi and Raghab Chandra Naik of Mahuliasuli village said the herd has ravaged crops, stocked up paddy and fruit orchards of fellow villagers besides sneaking into houses in the nights. “We are in perpetual fear for the last few days as the herd is raiding crops and houses and our lives are at risk,” they said.
Forest personnel are yet to drive the elephants away from the range, and claimed that they are monitoring the movement of the herd and residents have been alerted not to venture out after dark or stock up mahua flowers, a favourite among the animals.
Karanjia range officer Prabir Kumar Murmu said the 18 elephants have now split into two herds and are now roaming in Matha and Singda forest sections. As per government rules, the affected residents will get compensation after an inquiry is carried out by the Forest department and Revenue Inspector, he said.