Cuttack, Aug. 5 (UDN): A lone wild elephant has sparked fear among residents of Pathapur village in the Dampada region of Banki after becoming separated from its herd and venturing close to human settlements.
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According to local sources, a herd of elephants entered agricultural fields in the area during the night, damaging standing crops across several farmlands before moving back towards the nearby forest. However, one elephant reportedly remained behind and continued roaming through the village outskirts.
The stranded elephant has allegedly caused further damage to crop fields and has been spotted moving close to residential areas, leaving villagers anxious over the possibility of a human-elephant conflict.
Fearing an attack, many residents have restricted their movement and are avoiding venturing into farmlands. Farmers, already reeling from crop losses, say the elephant’s continued presence has added to their concerns.
Villagers claimed they informed the Forest Department soon after spotting the animal but alleged that no rescue or response team had reached the area by the time of reporting. They urged authorities to intervene at the earliest and safely drive the elephant back into the forest to prevent any untoward incident.
Officials from the Forest Department could not be reached for comment on the allegations made by the villagers.
The incident once again highlights the recurring issue of human-elephant conflict in several parts of Odisha, where shrinking forest habitats and movement of elephant herds through agricultural land frequently lead to crop damage and safety concerns for local communities.
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