Baripada: Panic gripped two villages in Mayurbhanj district after a rampaging herd of elephants from neighbouring Jharkhand damaged standing crops.
According to reports, 22 elephants entered the two villages of Raruan and Sukruli in Karanjia block on Friday night and damaged maize and paddy crops. The herd later went to Rajapasi village in Dudhiani Forest Range and damaged the house of a villager.
Later, forest staff along with villagers drove away eight elephants into Kenjhura forest in Jashipur Forest Range.
Till reports last came in, the rest of the 14 elephants were still lurking in the forest on the outskirts of Rajapasi village.
According to forest officials, the herd had trespassed into Mayurbhanj last week.
