North Khairbari, Hila tea gardens: Elephant herds leave trail of destruction

Jalpaiguri: A herd of elephants wreaked havoc in North Khairbari and Hila tea gardens under Sulka Para Panchayat in the early hours of Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction. While some residents narrowly escaped harm, others faced severe financial losses, with a few becoming homeless after their homes were destroyed.

The elephants, numbering around nine, emerged from the Dyna Forest late Wednesday night and entered North Khairbari to feast on harvested paddy left in the fields. Local farmer Aminul Haq narrowly escaped after stumbling in the paddy field while trying to chase the elephants.

His nephew, who was with him, managed to flee unharmed. Another resident, Ekramul Haque, reported significant losses. “A herd of elephants entered North Khairbari around midnight and by 5 am, they had eaten and destroyed 150 quintals of paddy,” he said. Farmers in the area scrambled at daybreak to salvage their remaining crops and relocate the harvested paddy to safer locations.In a separate incident, a lone tusker entered the Hila Tea Garden in Nagrakata and caused extensive damage. The elephant destroyed three houses in the Line 3 section of the lower Hila area. A resident, Surajmoni Oran, lamented: “How can I live under the open sky in this cold?”

In response, local Panchayat officials and residents provided temporary polythene shelters for the affected families.

District Forest Officer (DFO) of the Gorumara Wildlife Division, Dwijaa Pratim Sen, stated: “Forest officials rushed to the spot after receiving information. Patrolling has been increased to prevent further incidents.”