Balasore: Angry locals held forest personnel hostage after a tusker wreaked havoc on entering human settlements in Dhalpur village in Oupada tehsil of Balasore district on Tuesday.
According to sources, the elephant strayed into the village from the nearby forest, damaged crops, vegetation and thatched houses which led to commotion among the locals.
On getting the report, forest personnel rushed to Dhalpur and chased the elephant away. However, they had to face the wrath of villagers who complained of huge losses because of elephants frequently damaging vegetation.
“Earlier, the elephants used to damage vegetation in the night. Now these are entering our village and targeting our houses,” the villagers said.
Nilagiri police reached the spot and tried to pacify the locals who demanded immediate compensation for the losses and a permanent solution to the elephant menace.
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