Barang: Barely a few days after unleashing terror, Makena, the wild elephant of Chandaka forest, again trampled three buffalo calves to death at Shimilipatna village here late Sunday.
The incident prompted the panicked villagers to protest in front of the Chandaka forest division office with the carcasses Monday, demanding compensation and confinement of Makena.
Sources said Mekana had entered a buffalo shed at Shimilipatana village late Sunday and trampled three calves to death. While Harihar Behera lost one buffalo calf, Alok Chemi lost two. “Other 10 buffaloes in the shed, which escaped are yet to be traced,” Behera and Chemi said, adding they wonder why the wild elephant is only targeting buffaloes.
Frustrated over the frequent buffalo deaths, Shimilipatna villagers placed the carcasses on the Barang-Pitapalli Road in front of the Chandaka forest division office. Traffic between Barang-Pitapalli Road came to a grinding halt as hundreds of vehicles remain stranded on either side of the road for over two hours. However, after the intervention of assistant conservator of forest (ACF) Sarat Chandra Behera, the enraged villagers shifted the carcasses near the forest office gate following which the traffic started moving. The ACF and range officer Manas Ranjan Mohanty assured the villagers of adequate compensation and sent the carcasses for autopsy.
Meanwhile, the villagers alleged that the forest officials have miserably failed to ensure safety and security of the nearby villagers and their cattle. “As soon as we learnt about Makena’s arrival, we alerted the special squad of forest officials Sunday night. Although, a few members of the squad arrived, they returned after a few minutes. Had they taken any action, the calves would have been alive. Besides, we are yet to know about the whereabouts of 10 buffaloes,” Harihar Behera and Alok Chemi said.
Mekana had killed at least five buffaloes and left two critically injured at Andharua village earlier this month. Likewise, the wild elephant had trampled a buffalo to death in Patharagadia village after leaving six buffaloes critically injured in September 2016.
“Efforts are on to ascertain as to why the wild elephant is only targeting buffaloes. Apart from the squad, a special team will be formed to keep track of Makena’s movement,” the ACF said, adding they would soon decide about tranquilising Makena.
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