Garhwa: A herd of 22 wild elephants has entered forests under Ranka and Chinia blocks in Garhwa district after straying in from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, forest department officials said.According to officials, the herd entered Garhwa two days ago. It initially tried to move towards Kupa village under Dudhwal panchayat in Ranka police station limits, but villagers drove the elephants away. Divisional Forest Officer (South Division) Ebin Benny Abraham said the department had advised villagers not to venture out at night and to avoid any action that could provoke the elephants.The herd later moved towards the forests of Masra and Bilautikhair villages under Chinia police station limits, where it has remained since.The presence of the elephants near forests adjoining Chinia, Dudhwal, Barwahi and Dhauri villages has led residents to remain cautious. Many villagers are avoiding stepping out after dark.Abraham said the forest department was closely monitoring the movement of the herd.“The herd has taken shelter in forests under Ranka and Chinia. A Quick Response Team (QRT) has been deployed to track its movement, and surveillance has been intensified during the night,” he said.“An awareness drive is also being conducted to prevent human-elephant conflict,” he added.Forest officials said they were maintaining a constant watch on the herd to prevent it from entering inhabited areas and to minimise the risk of damage to crops, property and human life.The department has also urged villagers to cooperate with field staff until the elephants move out of the region.
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