Keonjhar: A herd of 18 elephants has wreaked havoc in the Sadar forest range of the Keonjhar forest division as the pachyderms destroyed crops and left a villager critically injured Wednesday night. Sources said the elephant herd left Salarapantha forest and travelled through Mahadeijoda, Tikarpada, and Hanumanghati villages and eventually reached Kadagarh village. Locals along with Forest officials and members of the elephant repellent squad reached the spot and tried to drive away the elephants back into the forest.
Despite their efforts, villagers spent a sleepless night attempting to keep the herd away from their homes. The elephant herd was spotted near the Ambadhara forest Thursday morning. Meanwhile, a villager Hemant Behera, 30, of Tikarpada village fell down and broke his right arm while trying to drive away the animals. He was admitted to the district headquarters hospital in Keonjhar for treatment. The elephants also damaged various vegetable crops in the area. Seeking compensation for their losses, locals have demanded that the herd be driven back into the forest. Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Ashok Das said, “We are monitoring the herd’s movement. Compensation will be provided for the damage caused.”
