Panic has gripped multiple villages in the Bonai region of Sundargarh district as a rogue tusker continues to damage homes, crops, and property. The elephant has been moving through areas including Bonai, Tamara, Banki Ranger, Baraghata, Bandhabhuin, and surrounding villages, leaving residents in constant fear.

Locals report that the tusker stays within the nearby forest during the day but ventures into settlements after dusk, destroying house walls, crops, and even carrying away sacks of rice and paddy. The repeated intrusions have forced many families to temporarily abandon their homes.

Villagers spend sleepless nights trying to drive the elephant away with torches, firecrackers, and loud noises, but the tusker continues to return, heightening anxiety among children, the elderly, and farmers who have already faced significant losses. Residents have appealed to the forest department for urgent action to capture or relocate the elephant and have demanded compensation for damaged property and crops.

Forest officials said they are closely monitoring the tusker and have deployed teams to ensure public safety. The ongoing incidents highlight the growing human–elephant conflict in the region and the urgent need for effective mitigation measures.