Bokaro: A herd of 25 elephants knocked down an eatery along the Grand Trunk Road in Bagodar block of Giridih district in the intervening hours of Wednesday and Thursday. The herd has been camping in the area for four days.Ramesh Mehta, owner of Khushwaha Hindu Hotel in Lakhibagi near Atka village said his eatery was attacked by the elephants for the third time in four days. On Wednesday, the herd camped in Budhachanch forest through the day. After sunset, the herd ventured into nearby settlements and agricultural fields and damaged standing crops of maize, sugarcane, chilli, and vegetables.“The herd moved in from Hazaribag,” a senior forest officer in the district said.Locals, who are now living in fear, said the herd has damaged crops of 50 farmers. Baso Mahto, a villager, said, “We have urged officials to drive the herd away at the earliest and provide compensation for the crop and property losses.” A local team of forest officials visited the villages assess damages to crops and properties on Thursday.
