A tribal checks his bow. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Dalma (East Singhbhum), April 30: While the forest guards and the tribal hunters tried to outdo each other in Dalma wildlife sanctuary during Bishu Shikar, elephants emerged winners.

On the occasion of the hunting festival, thousands of tribals from Jharkhand, Bengal and Orissa had entered the protected area.

Dalma Buru Sendra Samiti convener Demka Soy said around 40,000 hunters had sneaked in to the sanctuary but neither the forest personnel nor the police, who were keeping vigil, were not aware of it.

“The tribals, equipped with bows, arrows and other traditional weapons, managed to kill wild boars and other small animals. But they did not exhibit it like last year,” Soy said, adding several expert hunters did not take part in the event apprehending arrest.

The law-enforcers were out in full force to try and stop killing of animals.

Since Sunday afternoon, the district forest officials and the police had set up five checkpoints and started patrolling the 11 identified motorable routes leading to the mountain from where the tribal begin their traditional hunt.

But tuskers did more damage to the revellers than the police.

Several hunters gave up proceeding further after spotting tuskers with calves at the foothill.

Vikram Murmu (65) from Ghorabandha was one of those who found his path blocked by the movement of elephants. “It appeared that the tribal god was not happy with us. Several groups were unable to hunt due to confrontation with tuskers,” said Murmu on his 10th hunting season.