Balisankara: Panic gripped girl students of Balisankara-based Government Girls’ High School under Chauladenga section of Sundargarh forest range after five wild elephants were spotted near the school premises Tuesday morning.
More than 450 students hid themselves inside the school after the elephants strayed on to the school campus.
The wild herd demolished the school boundary walls and created a reign of terror, said students.
Later, they approached Jhilimal village and grievously injured a 60-year-old woman who was identified as Raimati Tanti.
An elephant attacked Tanti while she came face-to-face with it. She tried in vain to run away in a bid to save her life but fell down after the animal knocked her down, critically injuring her on her head.
Locals rescued her and admitted her to Sundargarh district headquarters hospital where she is said to be in a critical condition.
On being alerted, Chauladenga forester Lalu Magar along with other forest officials reached the village and drove away the elephant herd.
They also assured to bear all the medical expenses of Tanti.
According to the locals, a herd of over 20 elephants believed to be from Jharkhand strayed into the villages and has been creating havoc for the last one week.
Meanwhile, school students are fearing for their lives and say they are unable to go to school as they are worried that they might be trampled by the marauding elephants.
Several such instances have occurred in the past, locals said, adding that parents are refusing to allow their wards to go to school.
Locals demanded immediate measures by the administration in the regard to restore normalcy in the area. PNN
