Tezpur, June 14: Wild elephants have wreaked havoc at Rangapara, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Sonitpur district of central Assam, in the past few days.

Three elephants strayed out of Sonai-Rupai wildlife sanctuary and destroyed several houses and crops.

The wild herd came out in search of food and entered Kolabil village in Sonitpur district and damaged the houses of Bashu Munda, Malati Munda, Debaro Munda and a few others.

Jashim Ahmed, assistant conservator of forest (West Sonitpur division), said the wild herd demolished the houses and killed some domestic animals.

Last month, two persons died when a wild elephant went berserk in different places of Rangapara and Chariduar near Assam-Arunachal border in the district.

Ahmed said the elephants were chased back this morning and forest officials were constantly monitoring the border areas at night.

An elephant, which regularly comes in search of food to the garden areas in Rangapara from adjacent Sonai-Rupai wildlife sanctuary, had earlier killed three persons in the area and damaged several houses, Ahmed said.

In another incident at Marisuti village, about 40km from Tezpur, Atowa Guri, 65, was killed by a wild elephant near his house, which is near Nameri National Park. Forest and security personnel later pushed back the elephant, Ahmed said.