Wild elephants invade Krishnapur settlement, locals in panic

Kanchanpur: Residents of Domilla settlement in Krishnapur Municipality-1, Kanchanpur, are facing panic as a herd of wild elephants entered the area, causing extensive damage to homes, food supplies, and crops.

Locals have been forced to stay awake through the night to protect their property after approximately two dozen elephants entered the settlement. Ambadatta Bhatta, a local resident, stated that elephants have been entering the area daily, destroying houses and rice crops.

Ganesh Prasad Bhatta shared that a herd damaged his house while he was inside, destroying food, clothes, and other household items. Madan Nepali added that elephants have also destroyed rice, amriso crops, and Napier grass planted in community forest areas, while expressing frustration that authorities have not taken concrete measures to address the problem.

Ward Chairman Mohan Bahadur Basnet confirmed that at least three houses have been destroyed and significant crop damage reported. He suggested that the herd may have come from Dudhuwa National Park in India, seeking higher ground due to stagnant water in the Dudhuwa area.

Villagers have attempted to drive the elephants away using fire, noise, and firecrackers. While the administration has supplied firecrackers, Chairman Basnet noted that this remains only a temporary solution.

In Kanchanpur, where Shuklaphanta National Park is located, wild elephants have increasingly caused human and material losses in areas such as Shuklaphanta, Dodhara Chandani, Beldadi, and Krishnapur Municipality. The recent entry of elephants into Domilla has once again intensified the human-wildlife conflict in the region.