Wild buffaloes wreak havoc on Rani Chapori farms; farmers seek urgent action

A CORRESPONDENT

AZARA: Farmers in Rani Chapori, a major organic farming region situated in the middle of the Brahmaputra River, have demanded immediate intervention from the Chief Minister following repeated damage to their fields by wild buffaloes at night.

Rani Chapori, which now falls under the Jalukbari Legislative Assembly constituency after the recent reorganisation, is one of the State’s prominent agriculture-based riverine areas. However, the free movement of wild buffaloes has created panic among more than 400 indigenous farmers from Dharapur, Garal, Bhattapara, and Kendukuchi villages, who rely entirely on cultivation for their livelihood.

According to local farmers, the herd remains hidden in the dense vegetation of the chapori during the day and enters farmlands after dusk, causing widespread destruction. Seasonal crops, including leafy vegetables, cabbage, mustard, and other produce, cultivated through months of hard labour, are being repeatedly destroyed.

Sources said that around ten wild buffaloes were swept into the area during the floods of August 2024. Over the past year and a half, the herd has multiplied, with its population now estimated at 18–20 animals.

Responding to public concern, a large team from the Forest Department conducted an operation in April 2025 to drive the animals away. Personnel from the Palasbari and Rani Range Offices under the East Kamrup Forest Division, along with officials from Basistha and Khanamukh ranges, Azara Police, and local farmers, carried out an extensive drive. However, due to the dense forest cover of Rani Chapori, the team was unable to successfully chase the herd away.

Farmers allege that the buffaloes recently destroyed a significant portion of mustard crops ready for harvest. Large stretches of farmland cultivating cabbage, broccoli, bottle gourd, and other vegetables across more than a hundred bighas have also been damaged, leaving farmers in severe distress.

Village heads Dharmakanta Kalita (Dharapur), Manu Das (Rani Chapori), and Bhupen Barua (Garal) have urged the Forest Department to take urgent action to drive the herd away and ensure the safety of both farmers and their produce. Reports indicate that several farmers narrowly escaped attacks by the wild buffaloes during evening hours over the past month, saving themselves by retreating indoors.

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