Tension ran high in the Bondamunda area following a clash between locals and forest officials over an elephant drive out operation in Jagda Panchyat near the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NITR).
Though four platoons of forces were deployed at the spot to avoid any untoward incident, the villagers attacked the cops and forest officials injuring the Bondamunda police ASI and two forest officials. The police had to lathicharge to disperse the angry mob, during which ten locals were also injured in the clash.
The elephant herd consisting of two adults and two calves entered into entered into the town near the NITR on Saturday evening. Even though the drive out mission started smoothly, the villagers suddenly turned violent and pelted stones at the officials under impression that the officials are leaving the spot.
“When the elephants were moving into the village, we climbed onto our vehicle
to give them protection, but
the villagers thought we were running away and started attacking us”, said a forest
officer.