Angry Elephant Destroys House In Chhattisgarh As Residents Look On

Terrifying footage captured in Chhattisgarh shows the moment a wild elephant went on a rampage and destroyed a house as helpless residents looked on. The incident took place in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur.

The video posted on YouTube by news agency ANI on April 16 shows the elephant attacking a mud house almost as big as the pachyderm. It can be seen trying to make its way into the house, as if in search of food. The elephant ended up destroying the house and caused damages worth Rs. 70,000 in the process.

Officials from the forest department have offered compensation the aggrieved villagers.

Residents of the village can be seen watching the elephant helplessly as it wrecked havoc on the house.India is home to the largest population of Asian elephants in the world. Unfortunately, at least 70% of those pachyderms don't have a viable habitat. As a result, they often come face-to-face with humans in states like Assam, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Karnataka.

According to Greenpeace India, the elephant population in Chhattisgarh has grown since the pachyderms started visiting the state's forests in late '80s due to rampant deforestation in the neighbouring states of Odisha and Jharkhand. Sadly, though, this has resulted in an increase in human-elephant conflict.

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Karnataka: A jumbo conflict zone

On World Wildlife Day, the state lost Forest Officer S Manikandan, who was Field Director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, after a wild elephant attacked him when he had gone to the area to assess damage caused by a mild fire.

This was just the latest and most high-profile of deaths in a state that is reeling with violent confrontations with elephants. In the last three years, at least 158 people have been killed by elephants in the state. Across India, from 16 states, 1,557 have died since 2014 and in 2017-18 (up to November), 201 people died, of which nine were from Karnataka.

Dinesh Holla, convener of Sahyadri Sanchaya, told BM, “I have been observing the Western Ghat region for several years. Due to an increase in forest encroachment, the elephant corridors are shrinking. The other reason for shrinking elephant corridors are the mafias that are into mining, hydel power plants and resorts. When the elephant does not have sufficient place to move around in its corridor, they come to the villages. Villagers have their own techniques to chase elephants away.

This is when the elephant is helpless, it has nowhere to go and when hungry and angry attacks humans.” Holla said the state government has failed to implement the Forest Act. “Acres of forest land have been encroached upon. The government only talks about compensation for attacks,” he said.

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Trapped baby elephant desperately tries to pull itself out of a well using its TRUNK before villagers step in to help

Footage has emerged of an elephant desperately trying to pull itself out of a well after becoming trapped in the water.

The animal was spotted in the cemented well in a tea garden in Alipurduar, in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, after locals heard its terrified cries.

It is believed the elephant had been trying to drink the water before falling in and getting stuck.

The villagers raised the alarm and a rescue team from the forest and wildlife department was called to the scene.

Senior forest officer Kalayan Rai said: 'Elephants venture into the area to drink water from the wells built for irrigation purpose.

'We believe the calf was part of a herd which had come to drink water from the well.

'The animal might have fallen into the well as the water level was down and beyond its reach.'

In the video, the hapless elephant can be seen struggling in the muddy waters, trying to get out.

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