Residents of Natunpara, a village in the Alipurduar 1 block, were caught by surprise early on Thursday morning after a one-horned rhino from the Jaldapara National Park strayed into the locality.

A forest department source said the rhino lost its way due to dense fog and entered the village through Jaldapara Bazar and Nepalibusty around 6.30am. It injured a cow and damaged some crops.

Many residents started running and others took shelter on elevated spots.

Police dispersed the crowd and foresters attempted to guide it back into the forest.

The rhino jumped into a pond while being chased. The foresters successfully drove the animal back into Jaldapara around 10am.

“Our staff successfully sent the animal back into the forest without any injury to any person,” said Parveen Kaswan, the divisional forest officer of the Jaldapara National Park.

Jumbo attack

Boo Rava, a 64-year-old retired employee of the state forest department, died in an elephant attack on Thursday. A source said he was angling in the Buri Torsha river when a wild elephant trampled him to death.

Foresters recovered his body and sent it to the Alipurduar district hospital for a post-mortem.