Tusker herds of 14 & 35 trigger alert across Surguja, Raigarh

Raipur: Elephant movement has intensified across north Chhattisgarh, with persistent presence reported in Surguja and Raigarh districts, keeping forest teams and villagers on high alert.In Surguja's Mainpat area, known for its tourist spot, a herd of around 14 elephants has been camping for several days, frequently venturing into nearby villages after dusk, damaging crops and forcing residents to stay awake through the night to guard homes and fields.The herd has also been crossing the Mainpat–Sitapur road, prompting advisories and curbs on tourist movement in the evening.Officials said that a herd of elephants has been camping near the Musakhol forest close to the tourist hotspot ‘Tiger Point'. As a safety measure, tourists are being stopped from visiting Tiger Point after 4 pm.On Monday night, the elephants entered Musakhol village and damaged standing crops, prompting residents to spend the night trying to keep them away from homes.People in Musakhol, Bijalhawa, Kaljiba, Askara and Kuniya villages said the elephants often emerge from the forest in the evening and head towards the settlements, leaving families on edge.In a separate development, a herd of 35 elephants was spotted in the Chhal range of Raigarh district's Dharamjaigarh forest division, where elephant presence has been steadily rising. The division currently has 123 elephants, according to the forest department.The 35-member herd was seen near Pelambandh in the Bojiya area on Monday evening. It comprised three males, 25 females and seven calves. Forest teams and Hathi Mitra Dal members have been deployed in affected areas, while drone and ground surveillance is being used to track elephant movement and warn residents.
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