Chhattisgarh elephants damage church in tribal Jashpur, locals worry

RAIPUR: A herd of elephants vandalised a part of a church in tribal village in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district late on Friday. According to villagers, four elephants ransacked the Believers Eastern Church in Pokhartoli at Dokra village, breaking the boundary walls and damaging a rear room. The herd also consumed food grains stored inside, mainly paddy, and destroyed utensils and other materials kept for community service, locals said. Locals have accused the forest department of failing to provide adequate protection despite repeated incidents of elephant intrusions in residential areas. Residents said the same herd — three elephants from Pathalgaon region and one from Sitapur has been venturing in Kansabel and nearby villages for over a week, damaging crops, houses, and now a place of worship. Locals said that they tried to chase away the pachyderms with loud sound but could not prevent the damage. Kansabel forest range officer Prabhavati Chauhan confirmed the incident. “Four elephants have been frequenting in Dokra for the past week. Our teams are monitoring their movement. An assessment of the damage to the church and affected families is underway, and compensation will be provided soon,” she told reporters.

Known as the “gateway of elephants” in Chhattisgarh, Jashpur has witnessed frequent man-elephant conflicts in recent years, with herds straying into human habitat, destroying crops and homes, and triggering panic among villagers. Friday night’s incident has added to villagers’ resentment, with locals demanding stronger and faster response measures from the forest department to protect both lives and property.