Elephants Wreak Havoc in Dhatkidih Village, Destroy Homes and Crops

Villagers Blame Officials for Inaction as Elephants Roam Freely

Key Points:

• A herd of 25-30 elephants damaged homes and ate stored grains.

• The herd includes young calves, making them stay close to the area.

• Villagers accuse officials of failing to relocate the elephants.

CHANDIL – The lives of villagers in Dhatkidih under Chandil subdivision have been thrown into chaos due to elephant attacks. As evening falls, a herd of elephants descends from the nearby forest, causing destruction and fear among residents.

Last night, the herd entered Rasunia Panchayat’s Kangaltad and Dhatkidih villages from the Bana forest. They broke down doors to eat stored grains and destroyed an Anganwadi center’s walls. In one incident, a pet pig was trampled to death. Villagers expressed anger at the Chandil Forest Range officials for their inaction.

The herd, comprising 25-30 elephants, includes calves ranging from one to four months old. These young elephants have kept the group stationed between the Bana and Rasunia forests. According to locals, the officials failed to deploy elephant drive teams to relocate them to Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary. As a result, the elephants frequently attack humans and crops.

Rajendra Kumar Singh, a farmer, lamented, “Our hard-earned crops are destroyed. We are helpless against these elephants.” Chandil MLA Savita Mahato urged officials to take swift action to protect villagers.

Despite significant funds allocated to the Forest and Environment Department by state and central governments, locals accuse the authorities of neglect. Villagers fear further losses as the elephants remain in search of food near human settlements.