Agartala, May 27: Hundreds of angry villagers blockaded national highway at Chakmaghat demanding immediate step to stop attacks of wild elephants. Even as the agitation did not last for hours due to police assurance, the angry villagers vented their anger over the role of the forest department.
Alarmed at the frequent attacks of wild elephants in several areas of Chakmaghat, hundreds of poor villagers on Saturday blockaded the national highway and started agitation.
After receiving the information, Officer in Charge (OC), Teliamura police station, Subrata Chakraborty rushed to the spot and requested the angry villagers to withdraw the agitation.
Due to assurance of the OC, villagers removed the blockade but threatened massive protest if the forest department does not take appropriate steps to stop jumbo attacks. No official from the forest department was seen at the spot till the report last came in.
Actually, a strong elephant herd is active in Maharani, Chakmaghat and adjacent areas of Teliamura subdivision. The forest department has taken a number of measures to drive away the jumboos from human habitations. According to the forest department, the elephants attack human habitations in search of food in the dense forest.
The real sufferers are the poor villagers because of wild elephants’ attacks. Besides destruction of houses and crops, two villagers were killed by the jumbos over the past one year.
