Kheroni: A herd of wild elephants created panic in Kheroni, under West Karbi Anglong district, on Monday night, destroying three houses in Watijor village and leaving families terrified. According to locals, the elephants entered the village after dusk. They broke into the homes of Jasu Malakar, Narendra Malakar, and Chandan Malakar, damaging property and consuming stored food items before moving towards nearby farmlands.
Residents say that such incidents are no longer new for the area. For years, villages under the Kheroni region have repeatedly suffered from elephant depredation, yet no effective measures have been taken by the Forest Department to protect the villagers or divert elephant movement. As a result, fear grips the community every night, especially during harvest season when elephants frequently stray into human settlements.
Villagers reported that during the time of news gathering, the same herd was seen feeding in a nearby paddy field, raising concerns of another attack.
The community now waits to see whether the Forest Department will finally step in with long-term solutions to safeguard both human lives and wildlife.