Elephant: ସିଙ୍ଗାରି ପଞ୍ଚାୟତ କରଞ୍ଜା ଗାଁରେ କପା ଫସଲ ଉଜାଡ଼ିଲେ ହାତୀପଲ

According to a report by Sambad, a herd of wild elephants caused significant damage to agricultural land in the Karanja village of the Singari Panchayat, located in the Kalyansinghpur block of Odisha's Rayagada district. The incident reportedly occurred late Friday night, around midnight, as the animals emerged from the nearby forest.

Local farmers, identified as Trinath Hikkaka, Jogabandhu Hikkaka, and Abhimanyu Prepaka, reported that their cotton crops were destroyed during the herd's movement through the area. The elephants also caused damage to various trees and vegetation surrounding the farmland, leading to substantial financial losses for the affected families.

Human-wildlife conflict remains a recurring challenge in the Rayagada district, where forest-dwelling animals frequently venture into human settlements in search of food. Local authorities have been notified of the incident, though no injuries to residents were reported. Farmers in the region have expressed growing concern over the impact of these incursions on their livelihoods, particularly following the challenges faced during the current agricultural season.