Jamui: A wave of fear has gripped several villages in Jamui after a herd of 22 wild elephants entered farmland on Thursday evening and caused heavy destruction. The elephants trampled fields and ate the stored grain kept in barns, hitting the farmers just before harvest season. Villages including Mandanadih, Jhagrudih, Dulauri and Moglajor were the worst affected, and residents spent the night in fear as the animals continued to move around the area.
Forest department officials said the elephants crossed into Bihar from the Jharkhand side. Neeraj Pandey, the forest officer of Deori, confirmed that the herd contains several calves and that teams are trying to monitor their movement closely. According to Pandey, efforts are underway to send the herd back into the forest safely without harming the animals or putting villagers at risk. Chakai Forest Range Officer Abhimanyu Kumar said drones, torches and firecrackers are being used to guide the elephants away from human settlements.
The destruction of crops has caused huge financial loss to farmers. Pigeon pea, paddy and potato fields were completely ruined in many parts of the region. In Jhagrudih, the crops of Simon Murmu, Roshan Murmu, Islam Ansari, Nasiruddin Ansari and Abul Kalam were destroyed. The elephants also scattered bundles of paddy stored for sale. Farmland belonging to Pradeep Rai and Shyam Rai in Dulauri, and to Rabul Ansari, Anwar Ansari and Israfil Ansari in Moglajor has also been largely damaged, leaving families deeply worried about their yearly earnings.
Police and forest officers have advised villagers not to enter fields after dark and not to go near the herd under any circumstances. Teams from Bhelwaghati and Chihra police stations are patrolling the affected areas throughout the night. Villagers have been told to immediately call officials if they spot elephant movement. Authorities say safety is their top priority as any sudden interaction with the herd could be life-threatening.
Farmers, however, say the situation is becoming unbearable as the conflict between wild elephants and villages keeps returning year after year. Many families spent the whole night awake, keeping watch to ensure that the animals did not enter their homes. The farmers have demanded compensation from the administration for their losses as well as a permanent plan to stop elephants from entering farmland again. For now, fear continues to hang over the region, and villagers remain anxious about whether the herd will return.
