UditVani, Jamshedpur : Residents of Kita village, on the outskirts of Seraikela district headquarters, were gripped by fear early Tuesday morning when a wild elephant strayed from its herd and entered the area around 6 a.m.
Upon spotting the elephant, villagers immediately informed the forest department and Seraikela police.
While the police team rushed to the spot, the forest department reportedly failed to respond, drawing sharp criticism from the locals for their inaction.
Villagers, left to fend for themselves, managed to drive the elephant away from the residential area by making loud noises.
The elephant eventually moved towards the road leading to Patahsel and stopped near a government school, creating panic among parents and students due to safety concerns.
Despite the police making continuous efforts to drive the elephant back into the wild, forest officials were nowhere to be seen.
This negligence has sparked anger among the villagers. “Is the forest department waiting for a tragedy to happen before they act ?” a villager asked.
The incident has raised serious questions about the preparedness and responsiveness of the forest department, as residents now demand urgent measures to ensure the elephant’s safe return to the forest.
