Amidst Naxal atrocities, rampaging tuskers have become a stern threat among the rural mass in Jharkhand.
On Wednesday midnight, a herd of 12 elephants ransacked fifteen houses and one school building in Itwabera and Jarwa village under Nawadih police station in Bokaro district.
The elephants rummage Rs 40,000 cash kept in two rice drums belong to Talo Devi (Rs 20,000) and Shiva Manjhi (Rs 20,000).
“We are the beneficiaries of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), got the money to construct our houses, said Talo Devi. “For safety point of view, we have kept the cash in rice drums. Unfortunately herd of the elephants attacked on our houses and engulfed the cash along with rice,” said Shiva.
The rampaging elephants killed one villager, Puran Manghi, a resident of Itwakoda village. He was sleeping in his house. later, elephants also injured Chhote lal Soren, Soma Ram, Karma Hembram and Somri Devi, all four the resident of Jarwa village.
According to the villagers, the herd first attacked in Itwabera village and ransacked the houses of Sikari Murmu, lughu Murmu, Shiva Murmu, Karu Soren, Talo Tuddu, Chhotu Murmu, Chhunu Ram, DhaniRam Manjhi, Chatu Manjhi and Ansh Murmu and rummaged through about 10 quintals of rice, mustered, maize and kurthi stored in those houses.
later, herd moved towards Jarwa village and injured four villagers. The herd also ransacked their houses and Nav Prathmik School building. Elephants also eaten one quintal rice (MDM) kept in the school, said a villager.
Shout for compensation and earliest needful step to curb the elephant menace, irate villagers blocked the Saharubera Chowak on Dumari-Nawadih road on Thursday morning which was continued till evening.
Notably, about 70 to 100 people are trampled to death every year in Jharkhand by elephants.
“A shrinking habitat has forced elephants to raid farmlands and increasing the man-animal conflict in the State which has also been hit by Maoists militancy,” forest officials said.