Wild elephants go on rampage at Guwabari, Assam

A Correspondent

Tamulpur, July 22: Due to wild elephants wreaking havoc, villagers are spending sleepless nights at Guwabari village along the Indo-Bhutan border under Tamulpur subdivision in the district of Baksa.

In search of food, a big herd of wild elephants is taking shelter along with their calves along the bank of the Barnodi river since the past one-and-half months. On Saturday night, a big herd of wild elephants entered the Guwabari village and started destroying houses. The villagers left their houses and took shelter in secure places. Villagers along with forest officials tried to chase away the herd of wild elephants by bursting crackers, lighting fire and creating sound using utensils but failed. The herd of wild elephant destroyed the houses of Suresh Barman, Kajal Barman, Munindra Barman, Lakhindar Barman and Nar Bahadur Limbu.

The herd of wild elephants ate all the paddy and food stored in their houses and damaged all the household goods. The family members somehow managed to escape and save their lives. Creating terror throughout the night, the herd of wild elephants finally left the village at dawn.

On the night of July 20, the herd of wild elephants had entered the same village and destroyed houses of more than 15 families. Local people have demanded necessary action to control the herd of wild elephants and to secure the lives and properties of the poor families as well as the lives of the wild elephants.