Rourkela, August 8: Two tuskers wreaked panic in the Banai area in Sundargarh on Tuesday.
Following large-scale devastation in the surrounding villages under the Kolipasi Range limit, locals initiated joint efforts to get rid of the pachyderms.
Sources said, two tuskers after missing their herd rampaged into the Badaposa, Telidihi, Kela, and Nuaplalli village. They brought huge devastation in the villages and damaged paddy crops and houses in the nearby villages.
On being informed by the locals, forest officials rushed to the spot, and launched a special drive to chase the elephants into the Kuliposh forest. However, the task was quite tough for the forest officials as the pachyderms were found moving to and fro the forest-adjacent villages.
Locals have been sensitized not to tease the enraged elephants. Operation is underway to get the elephants out for the forests, said a forest official.
