File picture of a herd of elephants in Balasore

Balasore, Aug. 30: Several villagers of neighbouring Mayurbhanj district are living in fear as a herd of elephants has been wrecking havoc in the region for about two weeks.

Despite the forest department’s efforts, including engaging kunkis (trained elephants used to prevent the marauding herds from destroying crops and property), the jumbos have refused to quit the area.

The herd, consisting of four tuskers and two calves, has migrated from Keonjhar district, and the animals are playing hide-and-seek with the wildlife officials.

The pachyderms, apart from causing damage to the dwelling houses, also destroyed paddy crops, which is in the stage of transplantation. The worst affected villages are Parmabeda, Tilabeda, Budamara, Khiching and Parbatipur.

Karanjia divisional forest officer A. Behera said: “We are having a tough time to the tackle them as they are playing hide-and-seek with us. When we are chasing them, they are disappearing into the forests and again they are returning to human habitations.”

Around 50 officials of Karanjia, Dudhiani and Jashipur forest ranges have been deployed to keep a watch on the herd and drive them away to forests every evening.

The jumbos were moving near Ruruan under the Karanjia division in the afternoon.

Regional chief conservator of forests Anup Kumar Nayak said: “It is a big challenge for us to handle the elephant herd. On one hand, we have to see that they are not causing human casualties, and on the other, we have to ensure that they are not being harmed.”

Recently, the elephant herd has smashed one of the mobile vehicles belonging to the Jenabil forest range while chasing them.