AT Photo
Biswanath Chariali, Aug 11: A herd of wild elephants at Behali in Assam's Biswanath Chariali, went on a rampage wreaking heavy damage to farm lands and houses on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
As per sources, apart from damaging crops and houses the elephants also destroyed valuable trees in the village areas. They are giving sleepless nights to villagers and forest personnel as jumbos sneak into crop fields causing irreparable damage to crops.
At around 1.30 pm at night wild elephants strayed into forest areas lying in the periphery of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). There are reports of at least three houses being damaged by rampaging elephants. The houses belonged to Amar Bahadur Mirza, Nar Bahadur Rosal and Bhagirath Vishwakarma of Behali’s Bahbari area.
Now three families have become homeless and leading lives in constant fear. According to locals, the Bargang forest department reached at night and chased the elephants, but the long-ranging animals reappears again to stray into village areas.
Locals alleged while on one hand following the 6th addition of KNP, situated in the northern bank of Brahmaputra has rendered the farmers and cow herders income less, on the other hand the wild animals in the area frequent human habitats and destroy their houses and farm lands. The locals further demanded electric fencing near the 6th addition of KNP.