A herd of elephants has strayed into jungles around Kusmi block in
Sidhi districtfrom neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
Sources said the herd includes three adults and two small elephants.
It was seen in and around the jungles near Ramdaha Kund and Mach Mahua
villages of the Kusmi block for the past one week. The presence of the
elephants has sparked panic among the local residents, though the
forest department has already sounded alert in the area.
The road between Bhuimar and Kusmi has been blocked by the forest
department, due to which the residents of around three dozen villages
have to travel additional 150 kilometres for reaching Kusmi block
headquarters, said sources. This despite the fact that the distance
between Kusmi and Bhuimar is only 30 km, added sources.
Sources said a herd of elephants strayed into the district last year
also and two elephants of the herd lost their way. They were later
found near Banjari village of the district. However, both the
elephants later got electrocuted. However, the forest department is
also alert about the security of the animals this time, added sources.
Elephants normally migrate from Orissa, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to
adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh due to abundance of
standing crops and bamboo, besides other forest produce. Normally, the
herds take refuge in small patches of forests during the daytime and
come out and raid the crops at night. In Madhya Pradesh, elephant
straying was first noticed in Sidhi district in 2002.