Hazaribag: A herd of 29 wild elephants, including four to five calves, entered Chaube in Chalkusa block, Hazaribag, early Sunday, damaging crops and briefly slowing trains near Chaube railway station. The elephants reached Gate No. 23, the Kamla level crossing, around 6am and destroyed farmer Nizam Mian’s maize field, spreading panic among residents.As the herd stayed close to the track for several hours, trains were slowed as a precaution. Villagers later drove the animals away from the track and nearby fields after sustained efforts. The same herd had killed a villager in Chalkusa on Friday.Local representatives, including Zila Parishad member Savita Singh, Pramukh representative Deepak Chaudhary and Mukhiya representative Sitaram Pandit, alleged that the forest department had failed to push the elephants into dense, safer forests despite their prolonged presence.They said attacks over five months had killed several people and damaged dozens of houses in Manaiya, Sewatand, Chalkusha, Salaydih, Alagdiha, Sudan and Chaube Kharag panchayat. Compensation was paid, but prevention remains inadequate.Villagers said 25-29 elephants form the main herd, while smaller groups of three and two, and a lone tusker, are roaming. They urged authorities to deploy a specialised elephant-driving team and warned of agitation.“Forest official Rakesh Kumar is tracking and steering them away from settlements,” an official said.
