Jumbos cause panic in Jalpaiguri villages

The state highway at Malbazar remained closed for almost three hours leading to a massive traffic congestions as two elephants blocked the road. 

The situation turned worse when the drivers of the stranded vehicles started honking. Thinking that the elephants will move away due to the sounds, the drivers began honking incessantly. Instead of giving way to the vehicles, the elephants attacked them. Drivers and passengers left the vehicles and began running to find safe shelter.

Later, officers of the state forest department reached the spot and managed to send the elephants back to the forests in Lataguri. Though the elephants did not damage any one the vehicles, the incident led to panic in the area.

Apprehensive of the attack, local shopkeepers pulled their shutters down and the area wore a deserted look within few minutes. Normalcy was restored after the tuskers were driven away. It took around two hours to clear the traffic congestion.

 In another incident at Banarhat, an elephant blocked the entrance of Banarhat College, restricting hundreds of students and others from coming out of the premises. According to an official of the state forest department, the tusker had somehow lost way and got separated from its herd and entered the area from Jalpaiguri Reti forest.

The tusker damaged a road side eatery and received some injuries on its leg. Officers of the forest department went to the spot and sent it back into the forest.