Jumbos go on rampage

Panic spread after two persons were trampled to death and several houses were damaged by wild elephants in Sarguja forest and adjoining areas in Chhattisgarh over the last few days, forest officials said on Wednesday.

On Sunday, nine elephants attacked Sargaon village, 5 km from Ambikapur block headquarters in Shankargarh. Most villagers managed to flee when they saw the elephants, but two persons were trampled to death.

The villagers returned only after forest officials reached the area and chased away the elephants.

“An elephant also got separated from its group in Prem Nagar range of south Surguja forest division. The herd damaged several houses in at least six villages in the last six days,” said forest conservator (wildlife) Shetty Panwar.

In Tuba village, several houses were damaged by elephants on Saturday, creating panic among villagers. Many of them fled from the village.

According to villagers, at least four herds of elephants are still roaming in the dense forest between Tuba and Bangaon.

They blamed forest officials for not containing the menace.
However, forest officials said the elephants came from neighbouring Jharkhand.