Seven forest personnel hurt in mob attack after stray jumbo runs amok

Bhubaneswar: At least seven forest personnel, including a forester and two forest guards, were injured in a mob attack at Fekalsahi village under Baripada forest division in Mayurbhanj district on Thursday night after an elephant of Similipal Tiger Reserve strayed into a nearby village, damaging houses and crops. The forest department has lodged a police complaint in this connection.

According to police, the villagers alleged that the forest personnel turned up late despite an early intimation about the elephant movement. They allegedly vandalised the department’s vehicle and assaulted the staff. “The personnel have sustained minor injuries. It was night and, taking advantage of darkness, the mob resorted to vandalism. None has been arrested so far as the culprits are yet to be identified,” said Aditya Prasad Jena, IIC, Khunta police station.

The vandalised vehicle was taken to police station for forensic examination, an officer added.

Forest officials, however, said they reached the village on time to drive the elephant away, but the villagers got angry without any reason. “Because of strict enforcement, AI and normal camera surveillance, and patrolling in Similipal, villagers are now not able to hunt animals. Even if they do, they are being caught. This has angered them,” a forest officer alleged.

Sources said the elephant was still wreaking havoc in the village, 14km away from the Khunta police station. “We have deployed a fresh forest squad in the village to keep an eye on the elephant so that it doesn’t lead to any further conflict,” said Baripada divisional forest officer Gobinda Chandra Biswal.

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