Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10: Panic gripped Patharagadia village near Chandaka on the city outskirts after an elephant from the Chandaka-Dampada Sanctuary entered the village and killed one buffalo this morning.

The forest officials have made a spot visit and assured compensation for the animal. Apart from killing one, the jumbo injured five other buffaloes.

Villagers spotted an elephant in the morning near the shelter of the buffaloes. 'We ran for cover and took shelter in safe places. Later, in the morning, we found that the elephant had attacked the animals. This is the first time that an elephant has strayed in to our village. We are afraid that the animal may attack human beings as well,' said Ajay Behera, a villager.

Divisional forest officer, Chandaka, Kedar Kumar Swain said that adequate staff had been deployed at the village to track the movement of the elephant. 'The villagers should have proper lights in the sheds to save the animals from elephant. We have been creating awareness among the villagers to take precautionary measures, including installation of solar lights. Compensation will be paid according to the government rule,' Swain said.

In December, slum dwellers and residents near Bharatpur reserve forest on the city outskirts were panic-stricken after one Makhna (tusk less male elephant) killed eight buffaloes.

In September, last year, authorities were forced to prevent entry of tourists to Udaygiri and Jaydev Vatika after two elephants were spotted at the Udaygiri hills. Both the elephants were driven back to the Chandaka sanctuary through a mammoth exercise, which involved about 100 employees of the forest department.

According to a source there are 50 villages around the Chandaka-Dampada Sanctuary, spread over an area of 193.39 sqkm with a boundary perimeter of 174 km.

'Elephants have weak vision during night and that why they trample animals at that time. The villagers also should not keep the domestic animals tied up, so that they are able to escape if there is an elephant attack,' Swain said.