Elephants storm village, 33 houses damaged in attack

At least 33 houses were damaged by an elephant herd at Turturi in Dooars area of Jalpaiguri district triggering panic in the area.

The pachyderms, which strayed into human habitation for the past seven days after dusk, devoured paddy resulting heavy loss to standing crops, official sources said.

The herd damaged 19 houses in the labourer settlement of Chuniajhora Tea Estate alone.

Local villagers alleged the forest department was not pressing its elephant squad to drive away the tuskers despite the depradations becoming regular menace in the area.

Meanwhile, agitated villagers gheraoed the Divisional Forest Officer when he went to Sakoajhara gram panchayat area on Wednesday after a woman was killed and another injured by wild elephant in the locality.