The man-elephant conflict continues to affect the villagers of Nagrijuli area under Tamulpur sub-division in Baksa district.
On Friday night, a huge herd of wild elephants, that came from the Indo-Bhutan border, entered Narayanpur village and wrecked havoc throughout the night.
A total of 25 houses were destroyed by the wild elephants and they also ate all the stored paddy of the villagers.
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People of the village left their houses and took shelter in safer places.
Some of the farmers tried to shoo away the herd of wild elephants by burning fire, using fire crackers and creating sounds with utensils but all of their attempts failed.
In protest against the forest department’s failure to protect the villagers from the wild elephants’ attack, more than a thousand people gathered at Narayanpur vallage in Nagrijuli area on Saturday morning and blocked the Nagrijuli-Kawli-Kumatikata road for several hours.
The irate villagers also broke down the signboard of the forest check post at Narayanpur under Kumarikata forest range and burnt it as part of their protest.
In most of the time the villagers of Nagrijuli area in baksa district have to pass sleepless nights fearing wild elephants’ attack.
Herds of wild elephants come down to the villages in Nagrijuli from the forest along the Indo-Bhutan border in search of food.
In the last 15 years more than 100 people have been killed by wild elephant and more than 13 wild elephant lost their lives only in Tamulpur sub-division in Baksa district.
On Friday night, the herd of wild elephants also destroyed the paddy field in Narayanpur village.
The family members of the farmers informed the forest officials about the wild elephants attack but no step was taken by the forest officials to help the poor families.
On Friday, the agitating villagers also burnt the effigy of Assam forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya, shouted slogans against the forest department and the government for their failure to protect them.
It may be mentioned that two persons have been killed by wild elephants in Nagrijuli and Kumatikata area under Kumarikata forest range in the last 40 days.
The common people have urged the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to protect the villagers from wild elephants, otherwise, they threaten to launch sit-in demonstration on the Rangia-Tamulpur-Bhutan international link road.
