VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, July 5: A lone elephant which got separated from its herd is creating a rampage in the Tatijharia block and damaged five houses and the office of an NGO last night. A minor girl had a narrow escape when the elephant targeted the room in which she was sleeping.
Villagers said the elephant first attacked the office of an NGO, Srijan Foundation, damaging its boundary wall and uprooting 14 mango trees to windows and doors as well. From there, the elephant reached Charka Patthar in Jharpo village damaging the house of one Madho Ram and eating foodgrains stored in a room. The elephant used its trunk to damage a room of the house in which Madho’s daughter was sleeping. Hearing an unusual sound, as the girl jumped from the bed, a portion of the wall came down on her bed resulting in a miraculous escape for her.
In this village, the elephant damaged the shutter of the house of Sunil Kumar. The elephant even trampled standing crops in the field of Narayan Prasad. From here, it entered Jagmohan Tola and damaged the house of Talo Ravidas to eat rice there. The house of Nirmal Ravidas was also damaged. Villagers said the elephant is now in Godhia forest.
On getting information, Jharpo Mukhiya Shibu Prasad Soni and Khaira Mukhiya Kumari Madhuri visited the village and saw the damage done by the elephant. They assured them of compensation as well as chasing away the elephant from here.
Forest department officials said they are trying to chase away the elephant into the deep forest.