Ranchi, Jan 31 (PTI) Prohibitory orders have been clamped in five villages of Jharkhand’s Gumla district to protect people from elephant attack, an official said on Saturday.
A herd of 18 elephants have been roaming in the area covering those five villages.
The prohibitory orders under the BNS section 163 issued by the Gumla sub-divisional officer will be in effect from January 30 till February 15 in Supa, Malgaon, Morgaon, Budipat and Mahuatoli under Bharno police station limits of the district, he said.
“People are making large gatherings around the herd, which raised the concern of man-elephant conflict. Despite our efforts to stop people from going around the jumbos, onlookers continue to chase the herd. We urged the administration to clamp prohibitory orders, which came into effect from Friday,” Gumla Divisional Forest Officer Ahmad Belal told PTI.
According to the order, the gathering of five or more people in the areas where the herd of wild elephants is present, and obstruction of public roads, is prohibited. Carrying of licensed weapons, firearms or explosive material has also been prohibited in the restricted area.
The DFO said Bharno area is a tri-junction of three districts — Ranchi, Gumla and Lohardaga.
“The herd roams within three districts through the route. It is for the third time in six months that prohibitory orders were clamped,” Belal added.
More than 25 people have been killed in elephant attacks in the state since January 1 this year, another forest official said. Of those victims, a single rogue tusker claimed the lives of 20 in West Singhbhum district.
Man-elephant conflicts in Jharkhand have left as many as 474 people dead since the 2019-20 fiscal, according to a government report. PTI SAN NN
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