Jumbo Herd Raids Villages, Destroys Crop In Angul

Angul: With a herd of six elephants on the rampage, villagers of Kinkili under Talcher range of Angul district have been spending sleepless nights since Thursday.

As many as 22 wild elephants have also been spotted near TTPS ash pond in Talcher.

The locals alleged that the elephants have been destroying crops in the villages. It is suspected that the herd of elephants strayed in the villages after crossing the Brahmani river.

Meanwhile, forest personnel and the police have been deployed in the villages near TTPS and Kinkili for the safety of the people. They are also trying to drive away the elephants from the villages.

In the first week of October, people of villages under Champua range in Keonjhar district had to deal with a herd of rampaging wild elephants for three days.

The elephants created panic in Kulachuda, Mankadachua, Khelora, Fakirapur and Suluguda villages of the district.

On September 29, a herd of 30 wild elephants had destroyed standing crop at Palaspanga under Sadar range. The elephants entered the human settlements at Madhupur, Kalasi, Kunjuradihi and Silisuan villages and damaged crops cultivated over acres of agricultural land.

On receiving information, a team of forest department officials combed the area, but could not trace the elephants.

In yet another case of man-animal conflict the district, an elderly woman was trampled to death by a tusker in Sadar forest range of Keonjhar district on September 26.

Panic gripped the area after the 60-year-old woman was killed in the tusker attack.

According to the sources, the incident took place early in the morning when the woman had gone to the nearby forest to collect mushroom.