Rampaging elephant herd wreaks havoc in Rajmaniya, farmers seek relief

Giridih: A marauding herd of 42 wild elephants has been causing widespread destruction in the Rajmania forest under Kapilo Panchayat of Birni for three consecutive days. Emerging from the forest on Saturday evening, the elephants trampled and obliterated paddy and potato crops across approximately 20-25 acres of land in Rajmaniya, leaving dozens of farmers reeling from the impact.

Local villagers reported that the elephant herd had been camping in Rajmaniya forest since last Friday. Venturing out in the evenings, the elephants have been wreaking havoc on the cultivated fields. The herd initially entered the Beharabad forest of Birni on the early morning of Thursday, November 30th, and subsequently caused extensive damage to paddy fields in the same village that evening. Afterward, the elephants settled in Rajmaniya forest for the past three days.

In response to the escalating situation, the forest department has called for applications from affected villagers to ensure their safety. Over the last four days, the department has been closely monitoring the movements of the elephants, attempting to guide the herd towards a larger forested area. Forest officers in charge, including Yogendra Prasad, Abodh Mahatha, and Virendra Prasad, are assessing the losses suffered by farmers.

Shri Prasad, the Forester in charge, mentioned that the elephants had caused significant damage to the paddy crops in Rajamaniya village, and a thorough assessment is underway. Affected farmers have been urged to apply to the department for compensation, as the authorities strive to address the repercussions of the elephant-induced agricultural devastation..