A forest guard was attacked by villagers of Seraikela on Monday as the 10-member team of mahouts (elephant chasers) from Bengal which had started work on Sunday reached the village. Concerned over the incident the team has left the job and returned. The team led by Banmali Mahto decided to stop their work this morning after a section of agitated villagers thrashed a forest guard who was accompanying the team and assaulted him demanding immediate payment of compensation for their damaged house.
The forest guard was identified as Sonaram Hembram. The incident took place at Pinderbera village under Kandra police station area in Seraikela this morning at about 9 am, and as the assault took place in front of the team from Bengal.
Range officer, Seraikela, Suresh Prasad confirmed the incident. " Yes he team of elephant drivers which were roped in the job for driving the elephants away to Odisha today left their work. Accompanied by forest department officials, the team members were carrying out study of the elephants' escape route, but due to some erring villagers the team got afraid and stopped," said Prasad.
He said an agitated villager caught hold of the forest guard and demanded for the compensation. "The guard, Sonaram Hembram tried to pacify him. He said that it would take about a month time for the compensation, the villager got agitated and hit his legs with a stick in front of the Bengal team," said the range officer.
Prasad said they are trying to get a new team from Bankura, but unless the local villagers should support the forest department. The Bengal team was supposed to carry out the recce till Tuesday for identifying the return rout of the herd of 18 elephants which has been rampaging villages in Seraikela since the past two months. The 18 elephants, including four calves have strayed into Seraikela jungle from the neighbour Keonjhar jungle in Odisha since November. During this period the migratory elephants have destroyed about 120 houses, damaged crops and killed a man.
A senior forest official said the villagers are not co-operating with the department official as they have not been paid any compensation for the houses that were damaged by the elephants. He said that rampaging elephants are a cause of concern. Some measures have been adopted and there is need to do more to protect the people. He added that when the villagers force them to migrate to Manjhari area they enter Choya area under Jhinkpani. There are two groups of tuskers active in the area and one of which also consists of baby elephants.
The farmers have been asked to inform the nearest range office in case of crop raiding so that special teams will be deputed to drive the elephants into the deep jungle.