Straying jumbos driven back to forest from Hooghly village

Kolkata: Two elephants that had strayed into Hazipur at Goghat in Hooghly late on Sunday night were successfully driven back to the Chamkaitola forests under the Garbeta range of the Rupnarayan division in West Midnapore.

The entry of the two jumbos into human habitation and agricultural land had triggered panic among local residents. However, forest officials and police managed the situation and prevented any conflict.

“The standard operating protocol was strictly followed, with the public kept at least 300 metres away from the elephants to avoid any confrontation. During the day, the animals were confined to a tree-covered area under the watch of elephant trackers and the Rapid Response Force (RRF). After sunset, the duo were guided back to their original forest area in West Midnapore,” said Singaram Kulandaivel, Chief Conservator of Forests, West Bengal.

He said the field teams worked tirelessly throughout the operation to ensure the elephants were driven back safely without any untoward incident, while maintaining peace and safety for both wildlife and residents. A forest department official said compensation for crop damage would be processed at the earliest.

The technical team, RRF, Hullah team and tranquilising team worked continuously for nearly 20 hours to guide the elephants deep into the forest. Two tracking teams have been deployed round the clock for further monitoring, the official added.