Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The fear of elephants is back to haunt Shahdol as a herd of four jumbos entered Vicharpur nursery area—popularly known as 'Mini Brazil'—on Saturday night, triggering panic among villagers.
Forest department officials, police and district administration rushed to the spot to assess the situation. They are currently observing the elephants and waiting for them to return on their own.
According to a forest officer in Shahdol, the elephants arrived from the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh and made their way into the district through Umaria. As of now, the herd has not caused any damage.
Forest, police, and local teams are closely monitoring their movement. Villagers have been alerted and strictly advised to stay away from elephants.
District Forest Officer Shradha Pandre told Free Press that the herd is currently stationed in the Vicharpur nursery area. When asked whether the elephants would be driven away, she said that elephants tend to become violent when chased, so officials are hoping the animals will leave on their own.
Sources said presence of elephants has triggered fear in nearby hamlets, including Khamaria and Kalyanpur. Residents are praying the herd leaves without causing any incident.
The current situation has revived memories of a tragic incident in May when three villagers were killed by one of two elephants in Shahdol. The animals had run amok as hundreds of villagers were plucking tendu patta leaves in the forest. Many villagers escaped by climbing trees, while others ran in panic. The elephants were on their way to Sanjay Dubri National Park from Umaria when they encountered group of villagers.
Shahdol has seen several such incidents in the past. Elephant attacks have damaged huts and claimed lives, raising concern about human-wildlife conflict in the region.
