Forest dept thwarts jumbo threat

Alipurduar: Timely intervention by the Forest department prevented a potential disaster on Sunday and ensured the smooth conduct of the district police–organized marathon, ‘Dooars Run’, despite the presence of wild elephants near the race route.

Over 1,000 athletes participated in the anti-drug marathon, held across three categories. The 21-kilometre race began and ended at the Alipurduar Parade Ground, passing through Majherdabri Tea Garden, Damanpur under the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) and the Buxa Feeder Road.

Anticipating elephant movement along the Majherdabri–Damanpur stretch, BTR forest staff were deployed, who detected three wild elephants near Damanpur early Sunday.

According to forest officials, the elephants were first spotted around 4 am. Based on experience, officials assessed that the animals had moved from the western part of the forest toward the east and were likely to cross the Buxa Feeder Road near the Damanpur checkpost.

Acting swiftly, forest department teams positioned themselves strategically and blocked the elephant movement. Officials said that if the animals had continued along their usual corridor, the situation could have turned dangerous during the event. Through continuous monitoring and coordinated efforts, forest personnel successfully restrained the elephants’ movement for nearly three hours, allowing the marathon to conclude safely.

Confirming the operation, Harikrishnan PJ, Deputy Field Director (West) of the BTR, said: “After noticing the presence of three wild elephants near Damanpur, we immediately took action and were able to prevent their movement for nearly five hours, thereby avoiding a potential mishap.”