A herd of around 25 elephants damaged ready-to-harvest paddy and the wall of a house in Bholmara village in Dhanbad on Saturday, prompting residents to leave the affected home and the forest department to begin monitoring the herd and assessing losses.
The elephants moved through agricultural fields in Bholmara, under the Barwadda police station area, trampling paddy that was close to harvest. The damage has affected farmers in the village, where the crop represented an immediate source of income and food.
After crossing the fields, the herd entered a residential area in Maricho panchayat and damaged the wall of a house. Family members moved out of the structure in time, according to the report. No deaths or injuries were reported in the incident.
Villagers used torches and fire to drive the elephants towards a nearby forest. The movement brought the herd into close proximity with homes and agricultural land, increasing the risk of further damage and possible confrontation between residents and the animals.
District forest officer Vikas Paliwal said the forest department was closely monitoring the situation. He said elephants generally follow established movement routes but may sometimes enter human settlements because of the smell of food grains or other edible items.
Paliwal advised villagers not to sleep near locations where grains and other food items are stored, particularly at night. The precaution is intended to reduce the risk of human-elephant conflict and prevent loss of life while the herd remains in the area.
The forest department is assessing damage to crops and property. Paliwal said compensation would be provided to eligible affected residents according to applicable provisions. The assessment will determine the extent of losses suffered by farmers and the household whose wall was damaged.
The incident has also brought renewed attention to the practical difficulties faced by villages located along elephant movement routes. When herds pass through cultivated fields or settlements, residents have to protect homes and crops while avoiding actions that could provoke the animals. The department’s monitoring and the compensation assessment are now the immediate official steps identified in the report.
Villagers have urged the forest department to take measures to keep elephants away from human habitations and to ensure that compensation for crop and property damage is processed in a timely manner. The department’s next steps will include completing the damage assessment and providing compensation to eligible residents under the applicable provisions.
