Jhargram: An elephant dragged a cow out of its shed and trampled it to death in Jhargram’s Pukuria village on Friday night, plunging local residents into panic and prompting a road blockade the following morning.The elephant reportedly broke down the door of the cowshed, dragged the animal out with its trunk and crushed it. On Saturday morning, residents blocked the Jhargram-Chandri pitched road in Pukuria, demanding a permanent solution to drive away the elephants and seeking compensation for the losses.Residents say elephant rampages have become a near-constant occurrence in the area, with a herd having effectively made Pukuria its permanent base.Beyond the destruction of homes and crops, attacks resulting in human and livestock deaths and injuries have grown disturbingly routine over the past few years.Locals attribute the herd’s persistent presence to the abundance of fruit trees — including mango and jackfruit — in the area, which they say draws elephants into the village.According to forest department and local sources, a herd of seven to eight elephants has been active for more than a week across Pukuria, Kundaldihi, Shimuldanga, Bankati, Andharishole and surrounding areas under the Pukuria beat.Residents allege the forest department has taken no measures to drive the herd away, and that the damage has only escalated the longer the elephants have remained in the same area — prompting Saturday’s protest against the department.
