AGARTALA, December 5 (TIWN): An elephant herd ransacked several houses at Hawaibari area under Teliamura police station last night. Though there were no casualties, the elephants destroyed a huge amount of agricultural produce. Fear gripped the villagers with people taking shelter in nearby areas while forest officials rushed to the spot on last night to launch an operation to contain the menace.

Forest officials and residents fear that very soon the elephants would enter residential areas adjoining to Hawaibari. For now, forest officials plan to warn people against taking early morning walks. They have also asked people not to go outside their house in the late nights.

So far, Ranjit Debbarma whose pig was killed in the havoc was handed over a cash of Rs. 8,000 today. Sunil Sarkar who claimed of facing loss of his crops amounting at Rs. 7000 would receive compensation soon, sources said.

The herd comprising of three elephants was seen roaming in Hawaibari and surrounding areas. Thus, we have warned residents not to take morning walks. The elephants have come from the Gandacherra forest, said a forest official.

At present out of the three elephants, two are found missing and only one is seen roaming in Hawaibari. We are suspecting that the two missing elephants may have fallen in the hands of the poachers. We are trying our best to find out the missing elephants, said the forest official.   
Earlier, altogether 25 houses and 10 kani of land were destroyed at Mungiakami Forest Range and Teliamura Forest Range when a band of elephants intruded the human habitation in several areas of Teliamura Sub Division for the past six months.

Nearly six people have died in the jumbo-human conflict in different areas of Teliamura Sub Division in the last three years, said local sources.

According to the reports of State Wildlife Conservation officials, growing human inhabitation and activities in forest areas have decreased the wildlife population in the state and most of the animals are on the brink of extinction.