Raisuan: A herd of 22 elephants went on a damaging spree in Raisuan area of Keonjhar Monday night. Even as locals were panicked after the entry of jumbos, farmers were worried over the continuous crop loss.
Reports said the animals have damaged crops in 200 acres at Jamuanali village. This has enraged the farmers while people have to spend sleepless nights to ward off the animals from farmlands.
They expressed their unhappiness, alleging the forest officials are doing nothing to drive away the animals. They have demanded immediate assessment of the crop loss and provision of compensation.
Locals observed that elephants usually frequent the village when harvesting is nearing, but this year they strayed and damaged crops in the very beginning.
The animals remain holed up in the Jamuanali forest and come out at night only to play havoc with paddy crops.
