SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, July 2: Panic prevails among villagers as an elephant herd demolished three houses in South Tundi under the Tundi police station, around 40 km away from the district headquarters on Monday night.
The villagers said that the elephant herd that had been camping on the hill forest descended at night and all of sudden attacked two villages. The herd demolished clay houses and ate up stored grains. The house owners managed to escape with family members from the house.
An official said the herd first demolished the house of Sonalal Baski in Tilaybera village, damaged household goods and ate stored grains. Thereafter, the herd attacked the nearby village of Parvatpur and damaged the houses of Mahalal Kisku and Leela Majhian.
Also Read- Stampede at religious gathering in UP’s Hathras claims over 80 lives
In the morning Jharkhand Janhit Morcha central committee president Mana Pathak reached the villages and informed officials of the Dhanbad Forest Division and Tundi Block Development Officer (BDO) Shailendra Chourasia demanding compensation for affected families.
The official of the Dhanbad forest department said that after proper assessment, the compensation would be paid to affected families. The department has also deployed elephant chasers to drive them out of residential areas.
The villages of south Tundi areas fall on the line of traditional elephants’ corridor.
