Correspondent
Tamulpur: Due to the continuous atrocity of wild elephants, people of the Nagrijuli area under Tamulpur subdivision in the district of Baksa are spending sleepless nights. In search of food, big herds of wild elephants enter the populated area and get involved in the conflict with human beings. In the last 15 years, more than 100 people have been killed by wild elephants and more than 13 wild elephants lost their lives only in Tamulpur subdivision in the Baksa district.
On the night of November 29, a big herd of wild elephants from the Indo-Bhutan border entered the village Nagyanpur and created terror throughout the night. People of the village left their houses and took shelter in secure places. Some farmers tried to send away the herd of wild elephants by burning fire, using firecrackers and creating sound with utensils but failed. The herd of wild elephants broke down houses of 25 families and ate all the paddy stored in the houses of the farmers. Moreover, the herd of wild elephant ate bighas of ripening paddy after entering the paddy field of Narayanpur village. The villagers informed the forest officials but they allegedly did not reach the village to help the poor families.
On Saturday morning, more than 1,000 people gathered at the center of Narayanpur village and blocked the Nagrijuli-Kawli-Kumatikata road for hours. Showing resentment, people broke down the signboard of forest check post of Narayanpur under the Kumarikata forest range and burnt it as part of their protest. Moreover, the people also burnt the effigy of forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya.
The people demanded steps for ensuring the security of their lives and properties. They also sought security in the lives of wild elephants. Two people have been killed by wild elephants in Nagrijuli and Kumatikata area under the Kumarikata forest range office in the last 40 days. Yet, the forest department has taken no measure to control the atrocity of wild elephants, local public alleged in front of media persons.