Alipurduar: At around 2 am on Thursday, wild elephants attacked the College Para area of Alipurduar’s Falakata. Two elephants emerged from the Jaldapara Forest and ventured into the Falakata Municipality area.
CCTV footage from a government welfare home captured the moment when the two wild elephants broke the gate of the home and wreaked havoc in the vegetable garden. Subsequently, they proceeded onto the 17D National Highway, where they damaged the road divider.
Pintu Dutta, the person in-charge of the government home, reported: “At 2 o’clock, two workers from the home called and informed us that an elephant had entered the premises. Upon arrival, we discovered the gate broken and the elephants were indulging in a feast of vegetables in the flower and vegetable garden. Following this, the two wild elephants headed towards Falakata Baganbari along the national highway.”
The forest staff of Jaldapara Forest Division promptly responded to the incident after receiving the news. After two hours of concerted efforts, the forest staff successfully herded the two elephants back into the jungle. Foresters speculate that the elephants may have strayed from Jaldapara National Park into Falakata town, possibly due to heavy fog.
The Forest department has issued a warning to the residents of the area to remain vigilant.