The marauding herd of elephants and (below) a house damaged by the animals. Telegraph pictures

Balasore, Aug. 10: Elephants are on the rampage in several villages of Mayurbhanj district for the last two weeks, but forest officials are yet to drive the herd back.

People in these villages are spending sleepless nights as the herd has unleashed terror in their area.

Sources said the herd, which is now camping at Dari village under Sukruli block of the district, last night killed a 45-year-old man at Batpalasa village in Mayurbhanj and damaged several houses. The deceased has been identified Ramesh Lahara.

The herd also damaged a forest office at Tato under Dudhiani forest range.

“The jumbos got agitated when the villagers disturbed them. They have killed one person,” said regional chief conservator of forest Baripada Anup Kumar Nayak.

The herd is supposed to have migrated into Mayurbhanj from the neighbouring Keonjhar district. They have also caused extensive damage to maize crop in the villages raided by them. They have also damaged a school at Garadi village under Karanjia block. The herd of 17 elephants includes tuskers, calves and seven females.

“We have been making efforts to drive them out, but have not succeeded yet. They are escaping to nearby jungles during the day and returning at night,” said divisional forest officer of Karanjia, Asish Behera .

Ram Nayak, one of the affected villagers, said: “The elephants are eating our stored grains, damaging houses and wrecking havoc with standing crop.”

“Residents of more than 30 villages are living in fear because these jumbos are constantly changing their routes,” he said.

The worst affected villages include Badadeuli, Sanadeuli , Galasahi, Adipur and Budhamara under Karanjia and Sukruli blocks. The forest department, however, claimed they had a strategy in place to drive away the herd away.

“The pachyderms are long-ranging animals by nature. They migrate from one place to other in search of food. The herd has sneaked into Karanjia from Keonjhar jungles,” said Nayak, the regional chief conservator of forests.

“We had a meeting with local elected representatives, and local residents. Efforts are on to drive them out. We appeal to people not to disturb them,” he said.