Fear of jumbo attack casts shadow on Puja

Koushik Dutta, HT, 26 Sep 2016, Kolkata: Ahead of Durga Puja, fear griped the mind of the people of Goaltote and adjoining areas after rampaging elephants killed a man on Sunday morning. Anil Mal, 54, a resident of Jirapara under Goaltote in West Midnapore, is the latest victim of elephant attack in the area. Elephant herds targeted him when he was going to the forest in the morning.

With just ten days to go to the puja, people of the area are spending their days in fear. The fear of possible attack of elephants during puja days has put paid to puja preparation.

The migratory elephants from Dalma range are moving in the area nowadays. In the recent past, several people of Goaltore and Bankura were killed in elephant attacks. Though the forest department officials told that they have already cancelled the leave period of the staffs in areas which fall in the elephant route to keep the elephants far from the locality, particularly where puja would be organised.

“We have planned to enjoy the puja days but don’t know what will happen to us. Elephants are roaming in the area and especially elephant attack killed one we are very scared. They also might come in the puja pandals and our villages during the puja days and wreak havoc if the animals are not driven away, “said Sunil Mahato, a local.

The migratory elephants started coming to the area from Dalma range of Jharkhand since late eighties. They are coming more in numbers and staying for long time now than of the previous. This year, about 150 migratory elephants are moving in the region. Already, more than 10 people in West Midnapore and Bankura district, where the animals move, died in attacks. Several acres of crops and vegetables and houses were also damaged by marauding jumbos.

The forest department officials are saying that the migratory elephants are a big problem for them in the area and during the puja days jumbo menace continues to disturb more number of people.