Panic gripped the Chankhala area of South Ghilatali once again after a wild elephant went on a destructive rampage late at night. The incident occurred around midnight when the elephant entered the village and caused extensive damage to the house of local resident Sadhan Biswas.
According to reports, the elephant first broke open the door of the main dwelling and entered the house, where it damaged a television set and an almirah. It then forcefully broke into an adjoining room, dragged away sacks of stored paddy, and went on to destroy nearby banana plants, causing significant loss to the family. The sudden attack left the household terrified and helpless in the darkness of the night.
Sadhan Biswas said that such incidents have become frequent in the area. “Every few days, elephants enter the village and vandalise houses and crops. We stay awake at night in fear, but getting compensation is very difficult,” he alleged. He also complained that the Krishnapur tehsildar, Manik Chandra, has been reluctant to provide the necessary assistance in such cases.
On receiving information about the incident, Kalyanpur Forest Range Officer Bishu Nandi visited the spot and met the affected family. He assured them that a damage assessment report would be prepared and sent to the concerned department at the earliest. The Range Officer clarified that compensation is provided through the Revenue Department and that once approval is given by the tehsildar, the affected family would receive compensation without delay.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the damage to the two rooms and household property amounts to approximately ₹50,000 to ₹60,000. However, local residents expressed dissatisfaction, alleging a lack of coordination between the Forest and Revenue departments. They claim that despite repeated incidents of elephant intrusion, affected families are often deprived of timely and adequate support.
The villagers have urged the administration to take immediate and effective measures to prevent wild elephant intrusions. They warned that if the issue remains unaddressed, such nocturnal attacks could eventually lead to a major tragedy in the area.
