A wild elephant in the Baikunthpur forest strayed near New Jalpaiguri station on the southern outskirts of Siliguri on Saturday morning, prompting forest personnel and police to make elaborate arrangements for hours to send it back to the forest.
The movement of the elephant forced the administration to impose prohibitory orders in some areas to prevent crowding as forest personnel worked for 12 hours to transport it into the forest. In the evening the elephant was taken back to the forest.
The drama unfolded around 6 am in the morning, when the elephant came out of the Baikunthpur forest and went
On Canal Road near Phulbari at the southern end of the city.
“The elephant moved towards Sipahipara, Bhalobasa turn and reached Bhola turn at around 6.30 am. More and more people gathered to get a glimpse of it. The elephant then entered the vacant premises of the Railway Protection Force camp near New Jalpaiguri station around 7 am,” said a local resident.
This area is adjacent to Dabgram forest area of Baikunthpur forest division.
“This is the first time that an elephant did not go to villages but to different areas, not even close to the forest,” the resident said.
On receiving the information, forest workers reached the spot about 5 km away from the forest.
“People were gathering near the vacant area of the RPF camp. To ensure that no accident happens, instead of taking the elephant towards the forest, we decided to let it stay there for some time,” said a forest official.
Forest staff and officials from various ranges of Baikunthpur division and Mahananda, Kurseong and Jalpaiguri forest divisions reached there. They cordoned off the area. By noon, the Jalpaiguri district administration imposed prohibitory orders to control the crowd.
“Around 4.30 pm, we started making public announcements and asked people to vacate the area. Besides, more personnel and officers from Sukna Wildlife Squad, Kurseong Forest Division and Jalpaiguri reached the spot along with Airavat (expert).
Vehicle used to stop elephant rampage),” said the forester.
As evening approached, the forest officials tried to drive the animal towards the forest. At around 7.15 pm, the animal finally came out of the area, almost 12 hours after entering there.
Forest personnel directed him to the road adjacent to the tea park, Sahudangi railway crossing and Paglupara to Baikunthpur forest.
“Around 8.15 pm, it entered the forest, much to our relief. A forest department source said, “So far we have not received any information about any damage caused by the elephant.”
