Jumbos wreak havoc in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: Fear gripped villages under Bhuyan and Juanga Piddha forest ranges in Keonjhar district after wild elephants wreaked havoc by attacking villagers, destroying standing crops and damaging houses.

Sources said, the jumbos who are straying into human settlements in search of food, are getting attracted towards the ripen paddy crops. In these areas, the herds comprising of more than 15 elephants are sneaking into the low-lying villages and damaging the standing paddy crops on the agricultural lands.

Similar incidents of elephant menace has also been reported from Keonjhar Sadar Range area where one Baburam Munda (55) of Kadamadihi village under Bansapal block was trampled to death Sunday while he was guarding his crops, sitting over a treetop shackle on attack by a tusker.

Tuesday, the forest officials seized the body and sent it for post-mortem. They have also started an investigation into the matter.

Reportedly, there are more than hundreds of treetop houses in the low-lying areas of the jungle which serve as watch towers for the helpless villagers.

It may be worth mentioning here that Kadamdihi village and other nearby areas under Bhuyan and Juanga Pidhha forest range have been witnessing the elephant menace since a week. The jumbos are straying into the human habitations on a rampage thereby destroying standing crops after sunset.

Baburam, who was earning a living for his family by guarding his crop field was sitting on one of the tree houses when a tusker destroyed the shackle using its trunk and tusks. When the treetop house broke down, Baburam fell on the ground following which the tusker trampled him to death on the spot.

Though the forest officials rushed to spot on receipt of information, tension erupted in the area when they failed to identify the spot where the incident took place whether it comes under neighbouring-Sundargarh district or Keonjhar district.

However, when they later realized that the spot comes under Keonjhar district, they recovered the body and sent it to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy.

Locals allege indifference of authorities in the matter of elephant control.

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