The residents of Raibania (Jaleswar) were living in fear as migrant elephants continued to wreck havoc in the area for over a month.
In the meantime, while the administration had not been able to take any tangible steps to provide relief to the residents, several people had been rendered homeless after their dwelling houses were pulled down by the jumbos. They were taking shelter under polythene roofs and on verandahs.
A tusker broke the boundary wall of Dhanghera forest office as well.
The residents said that a herd of 18 pachyderms was camping in a cashew jungle of Rangamatia and Bhadua. The villagers alleged that the Forest department had failed to drive the elephants out. “There is no coconut and mango trees left in the area,” said a villager.
They alleged that the Forest department had spent over Rs 1 lakh in blasting crackers to scare away the elephants but to no avail. They demanded deployment of horses like it was done in Mayurbhanj to chase away the elephants.