Elephant terror forces residents to flee homes, take shelter on trees

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], Dec. 1 (ANI): Afraid of an attack by a herd of elephants, residents of Loharatola village, nearly 40 km from Jharkhand capital Ranchi, have taken shelter in trees.

A herd of wild elephants has spread panic among village residents, damaging their homes and food items and forcing them to flee.
Natwar Lohar, a local villager, said they were forced to live on trees as the elephants had damaged their homes and food items.

"We sleep on the tree to protect ourselves from the elephants. We take children also along with us and all the women sleep together at one place. It is very difficult to manage in the afternoon and night. We stand guard together in the night," said Lohar.

He added that there has been no help from the government or forest officials so far, and they had to fend for themselves.

According to local media reports, the highway too remains almost deserted owing to the fear of wandering elephants.

More than 1,000 people have been killed by elephants in Jharkhand since the state was carved out of Bihar in November 2000.

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