Jumbos give sleepless nights to villagers

SRIKAKULAM: A herd of four elephants, which have been roaming in the outskirts of Seetampeta mandal for the past three days, are giving tribals sleepless nights. According to locals and forest trackers, the four elephants reached the forest area that connects Peddakamba Guda and Valagajji Guda tribal hamlets of Seetampeta mandal from Kotturu mandal's Jamparakota forest area three days ago. Villagers have been alerted by the elephant trackers about movement of the herd into sugarcane fields. While tribals of Seetampeta fear elephants may enter human habitants tribals of Kotturu are scared the herd may return to their habitations. The Seetampeta tribals however have been trying their best to stop the elephants' entrance into their habitations by playing drums and firing crackers which they believe can influence the movements of jumbos. Except damage to sugarcane crop, no causality has been reported so far.