Gadchiroli April 26 (District Correspondent) The wild elephants have continued their menace and have reached near the borders of Gadchiroli city for the last three four days.
The herd of having around 32 elephants including 3 or 4 babies was seen roaming in the forests and fields of village Wakdi, around 4 kilometers from the city of Gadchiroli and nearby Masli, Kumbhi, Gurwada villages. The elephants damaged the crops of some farmers of Wakdi village.
Not only this, these elephants then rushed to river Potfodi near village Krupala this morning and attacked some women who had gone for washing clothes in the river. One of the women who was seriously injured has been shifted to Nagpur after giving her preliminary treatment at the district hospital here. Rest of the women are being treated in the district hospital and their health is stated to be out of danger.
The herd of elephants has been roaming in Wakdi Gurwada area for the last three four days. The hulla team of the forest department has been making efforts to drive the animals into the forest. The villagers also have been helping them.
DyCF of Gadchiroli forest division Milish Dutta Sharma confirmed the presence of elephants in Wakdi area and told that the forest department has been continuously monitoring the movements of the elephants. We have been trying to see that the elephants remain inside the forest areas and do not cause any harm to the humans.
The women who have been hospitalized will be given help by the government, he told adding that it is not sure whether they were injured in actual attack of the elephants or falling out of fear. The elephants have been roaming in the district of Gadchiroli since 2021 and it seems that they will make they stay here for more time, told Mr. Sharma.
The forest department is preparing a special mobile app which will give alert to the people of the villages surrounding the movement of the elephants, told Mr. Sharma further hoping that this will help the people.
Meanwhile Mr. Banduji Zade, taluka secretary of BJP has demanded early solution of the wild elephants and give relief to the people.
