Bardiya, September 19:

Wild elephants have created terror in Bardiya district. Some 30-35 wild elephants from the Bardiya national park are continually going on the rampage for a fortnight. They have demolished over 50 houses and destroyed crops on over 200 bighas of land.

Officials of the district national park said the wild elepehants have struck terror in Patabhar, Sainwar, Bagnaha, Bhurigaun, Nyualapur, Manau, Rambhapur and other VDCs of the district.

Farmers in these VDCs are worried as the elephants strike just when they try to cart the harvested rice stalks home. A herd of elephants demolished 40 houses at one go and gobbled up crops in the fields. Farmer Basram Tharu of Nyaulapur said the elephants strike at night and trample the crops.

Farmers in these VDCs spend their nights guarding their crops and trying to ward off the marauders. One farmer said: “All night we remain busy tooting horns, beating cymbals and lighting fires trying to scare off these elephants.”

Farmer Moti BK said: “Now, it has become a case of sleeping the whole day and keeping vigil all night against the elephants. If we don’t, we will have nothing left to eat.”

Bardiya national park ranger Puroshattam Sharma said the park is making arrangements to curb the depredations of the elephants. Electric lines within a distance of 10 kilometres are being laid from Patuwa Kulo of Bethahani to Motipur to contain the pachyderms.