Panic grips as herd enters H’bag town

Chatra: The terror of elephants is not a new thing in Hazaribag city. On Saturday night, a herd of ten elephants entered the city reaching into a ground between the Central Upland Rice Research Centre and the agriculture office in Shankarpur locality near Sirsi on Hazaribagh-Barkagaon road. This is the fourth time when the city is witnessing the menace of elephants. Two years ago, a lone elephant went on a rampage in the city killing three. The team of forest department is keeping eyes on the herd and said the herd comprises two calves. Few elephants of the herd are seen to be very aggressive and razed a portion of the agriculture office. Experts said the reason could be the presence of calves in the herd. The place where the herd is present is surrounded by densely populated areas with many known as posh mohallas of the city. Even the city's few prominent schools are situated here as well as a college. Forest officials said that all educational schools closed today and tomorrow also. Local residents had at first spotted the herd entering the forest area of Rice Research Center located in Demotand on Ranchi-Hazaribagh road(NH-33). Another end of this forest is the Hazaribag-Barkagaon road and the entire area is part of the Hazaribag municipal corporation. The herd was first spotted near the boundary wall of the Agricultural Technology Management Authority (ATMA). Now the local people are afraid that if the elephant enters this area during night hours, it can create a similar situation like two years ago,when a lone elephant had killed three including one in this area. At 9 in the morning, local people heard the unusual sound and then came there and noticed the herd. Few residents, some unusual sounds were very clear to them at midnight. But out of fear, we didn't muster the courage to come out of the house and see what was going on there. Few elephants of the herd were seen very aggressive and one had demolished a portion of the boundary wall of the ATAMA office. On information of residents, a forest department team reached there and kept eyes on the herd. Assistant conservator of forest AK Parmar says that it is not possible to drive the elephant away during the day. An attempt will be made to drive the elephant away late at night. He has appealed to the common people not to wander around the elephant. Also, do not try to take selfies. The forest department personnel said that if the elephant gets frightened once, then a lot of trouble can be faced. He said that if anyone teases the baby elephant, the people will have to bear the consequences.