Forest department personnel prepare to drive away the elephants.

Rourkela, Aug. 25: Forest department’s effort to drive away elephants from Vedvyas failed as villagers resisted the move.

The villagers feared that if forced out, the jumbos would return to create havoc in the area. They also demanded compensation for the loss they incurred in the past due to attack by the elephants.

According to the plan, the drive began on Sunday evening. The forest department officials wanted to chase away the pachyderms to the hills near Kuanrmunda and then take them to the deep jungle. However, the local villagers, armed with crackers, lights and makeshift drums, gathered on the road and blocked the movement of the herd, which consisted of three calves, two male and six female elephants.

As the situation on the Sankh bridge leading to Kuanrmunda went a bit out of hand, the police had to resort to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd. The tension, however, prevailed and it was late in the night that the forest department decided to call off the drive.

“The forest officials had assured us compensation, which still eludes us,” complained one of the villagers.

Divisional forest officer Sanjit Kumar said: “We are trying to convince the villagers.”

When asked about the demand of the residents, officials said that steps had been initiated to pay compensation to the affected people.