A tusker raided houses of farmers in flood-hit villages in Bankura and looted hefty paddy from the stack after midnight hours today.
After the Dalma Range elephants were pushed back four months ago, Bankura jungles are currently having six resident elephants, who have been spotted roaming in different range areas like Gangajalghanti, Beliatore, Sonamukhi under the Bankura (North) forest division.
A full-grown tusker suddenly strayed into the Jaljala and Kamalasayar villages in Patrasayer block in Bishnupur after the midnight hours and ‘looted’ paddy from the domestic quarters. At a house in Jaljala, it caused harm to four cattle on its way to the stackyard, said the officials. The farmers like Chhobirani Midya, Biswanath Roy, Sahadeb Midya complained, “We are having sleepless nights for days due to flooding and now for this tusker, which has made several attempts since three days.”
It also destroyed one ICDS Centre at Bajitpur village. Amar Majhi, forest beat officer in Patrasayer said, “This has strayed away from its habitat in Sonamukhi forests and causing the inconvenience. We are keeping watch on its movement.”