Stray elephants giving sleepless nights to residents in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: Presence of dozens of stray elephants in Champua and B.J.P. Range Anjar in Keonjhar has become a big concern for the local residents.

A herd of 36 elephants has been wreaking havoc in areas under both the ranges for past few days making lives of the local people difficult.

As per reports, a part of the herd strayed into the villages of Padmapur and Bamebari area triggering panic among the residents on Saturday. The pachyderms not only damaged several houses but also entered paddy fields in Raruangoda destroying standing crops and harvested paddy stocked for cutting.

The herd also continued with its rampage destroying many houses and a school building in Jamiridiha village.

This apart, the residents are also are distressed a lot for past three months due to menace of a tusker in the nearby villages under B.J.P. forest range.

A local resident said that the tusker remains in the forest during the day but with the approaching of darkness, it heads towards the communities causing destruction which is nerve wrecking for the villagers.

The incidents have put the forest authorities on toes who are trying their best to ward off the stray elephants into deep jungle. According to latest information, the herd today crossed Baitarani river and are moving towards Haladia area in Mayurbhanj district.