Bant: People of Bant area in Bhadrak have been at the receiving end of elephant menace over last one month. Even as people remained indoors out of fear of attack after sunset, forest officials had a tough time tackling the herd comprising a tusker and two others.
Locals of Agarpada and nighbouring areas said that elephants strayed from Hadagada sanctuary and have been damaging the area at night.
The animals are holed up in a forest across Salandi river. People were panicked at riparian villages like Patakana, Routraypur, mahntypada, Haladipahani, Kandaba, Gopinathpur.
People of Routraypur encountered the tusker during the day. They dread venturing out of their houses. A few days ago, the tusker was said to have trampled a woman to death at Michabaipada.
A 10-member squad of forest officials has mounted night patrolling to keep off the animals from the human habitations.
PNN
