Villagers in Tripura are demanding urgent intervention from the Forest Department to protect them from ongoing man-animal conflicts caused by wild elephant attacks.
The affected communities, grappling with the relentless rampage of these elephants, have expressed their dissatisfaction with the efforts of forest guards and the anti-depredation squad in dispersing the herd.
The frustration of the locals reached its peak, leading them to block the national highway in the Chakmaghat area of Teliamura in Tripura on Saturday (May 27) morning.
Sources indicate that a large group of villagers from the foothills of the Atharamura range initiated the blockade, seeking the immediate assistance of forest officials in safeguarding their lives and properties from the marauding elephants.
According to the distressed villagers, on the night of May 26, a herd of wild elephants entered their village in Teliamura, causing widespread destruction to houses and properties.
They further alleged that the forest and wildlife officials had not made sufficient efforts to protect their belongings from these wild elephants.
In a display of unity and determination, villagers, including women and children, assembled along the national highway in the morning, raising slogans demanding prompt administrative action to prevent the incursion of wild elephants into human habitats.
The road blockade prompted a swift response from the local authorities. A large contingent of Teliamura police, led by Officer in-charge Subrata Chakraborty, rushed to the scene and engaged in discussions with the agitated villagers, urging them to disperse and clear the national highway.
Subsequently, the range officer of the forest department addressed the local community, offering assurances that steps would be taken to address the issue of the elephant attacks. Upon receiving these assurances from the administration, the villagers decided to withdraw the blockade in the afternoon.
It is worth noting that elephants frequently venture into villages situated in the foothills of Atharomura in search of food. With resources becoming scarce in the forests due to various factors, elephants have been forced to wander into human settlements, wreaking havoc and tragically causing the loss of several lives.
Although various initiatives have been undertaken to curb the elephant menace, the problem continues to persist, leaving villagers vulnerable to attacks and property damage.
