An elephant known locally as Onkar damaged three two-wheelers, a car, a residential gate and stored paddy in the Kshetrafalwadi area of Insuli in Sawantwadi taluka, Sindhudurg, on Saturday night, leaving residents concerned about safety in settlements where the animal has been moving for several days.
According to a report by Sakal – Pune, the elephant damaged two two-wheelers belonging to Ramesh Sitaram Talwadekar. It also damaged one two-wheeler and a four-wheeler belonging to Yashwant Chandrakant Parab. The gate of the protective wall outside Sunil Jawadekar’s house was also damaged.
The elephant further destroyed paddy bundles stored by farmer Ravindra Vasant Rane. The incidents occurred after the animal entered the residential area and damaged vehicles parked close to homes, the report said. The damage has created concern among residents of Kshetrafalwadi, where the elephant has reportedly been active for the past few days.
Residents told the report that Onkar has also been seen in and around Insuli, Vafoli, Vilavade, Konsi, Otavane and Bhalaval. The movement across multiple settlements has increased anxiety among people, particularly at night, when the animal has been entering inhabited areas and approaching homes.
The incidents underline the immediate safety challenge created when elephants move through villages, where parked vehicles, house boundaries and agricultural produce are located close to residential spaces. In Insuli, the reported damage involved both private property and stored farm produce, adding to concerns among households and farmers in the affected area.
Residents have asked the Forest Department to treat the situation seriously, track the elephant’s movements, increase night patrols and take urgent measures to protect people in the affected villages. The report did not specify the value of the property damage, whether anyone was injured, or whether a formal compensation assessment had been completed.
The next steps sought by residents are increased night-time monitoring and effective safety measures as Onkar’s movement continues to be reported across the villages in the Sawantwadi area.
