Elephant menace continues in Ichagarh, villagers panicky

Jamshedpur, Aug 24: Tuskers continued to wreak havoc in Ichagarh police station area for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday.

Sources said a herd of the pachyderms was seen in Pilid village early morning. The elephants destroyed the houses of Jaidev Das, Subal Das and a few other villagers and also ate up rice and other food-grains kept inside.

Jaidev and Subal were fast asleep with other family members when the tuckers targeted their houses. They somehow escaped from the house to save their lives after being woken up by the trumpeting of the mighty beasts.

The elephants also targeted the stadium in Pilid and destroyed its gate, doors and windows. The stadium is used by local players. An elephant calf tried to climb up the stairs of the stadium. It was somehow scared away by a few kids present on the terrace.

Local Mukhiya’s representative Dayal Singh Munda, Ward Member Dilip Das and others reached the village to take stock of the situation. Naresh Mahato, a local villager, said the forest department was still in slumber as it had failed to take note of the incident and provide relief to the affected villagers.