Teachers of the Kalabari Kherkata BFP School, a state-aided primary school in Jalpaiguri district, were caught by surprise on Friday morning as they reached the institution to celebrate Independence Day.
“We found the school building damaged, with ransacked furniture. A considerable portion of the food grains that were kept for the midday meal of the students was also missing. Later, we realised that an elephant herd had strayed into the area and ransacked the school in search of fodder,” said a teacher.
Sources said that on Thursday night, the herd walked into the Dakshin Kherkata village in Nagrakata block from the neighbouring Kherkata forest. The elephants reached the primary school and broke the doors, damaged chairs and tables, and then devoured the rice and other items kept to serve the midday meal to the students.
The villagers said they suspected that the herd was still nearby.
A team from the Kherkata forest beat office reached the village and jotted down the details. They said the school would be repaired.