Two tusker elephants crossed the Damodar river and sneaked into the Gopalpur forests near here under the Burdwan Forest Division in the early morning hours today.

The tuskers knocked down the wall of a dwelling house of Ramdas Soren and destroyed domestic articles of Mongal Hansda of Monerkonda village near Gopalpur in Kanksa at 5.30 a.m. today. Then the duo moved towards Dhoandanga jungle away from Gopalpur and showed reluctance to move further.

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The tribal villages pressed the panic button and the forest officials from Burdwan and Bankura (North) Divisions accompanied with tranquilising experts and hula party members arrived at the location shortly. They started making public announcements in the villages to warn the locals not to visit the forests. DFO, Burdwan, Sanchita Sharma said: “As precaution, we’ve given priority to the human settlements to prevent conflicts and for that extensive miking is pressed.”

The tusker pair had entered the Karanchamoni and Khairasole jungles within the Sonamukhi Range under Bankura (North) Forest Division with a herd of 62 elephants from the Dalma range forests of Jharkhand on last 20 December. The principal herd had migrated to Barjora and Beliatore ranges, but the duo chose to stay back in the Karanchamoni woods since then.

“The same tuskers have migrated to the Gopalpur area this morning,” said Debashis Mahima Prasad, DFO, Bankura (North). He said: “The elephants will be taken back to Sonamukhi at the earliest.” About tranquilising possibilities, he said: “The elephants haven’t misbehaved yet. If they turn violent, sedation may be required.”

Kisholoy Mukherjee, beat officer of Gopalpur Forest beat under Durgapur Forest Division said that forest department officials are keeping a tab on the situation and will try to push them back. The hula parties have also been informed.

Malda Soren, who was watering his vegetable garden saw an adult elephant walking in front of his house before it left towards the local anganwadi kendra.