Concerned with the elephant menace in Chakulia and Dhalbhumgarh in the Ghatsila sub-division, the Chandil forest range officer on Saturday set up a quick response team (QRT) to protect human habitats from the marauding herd of tuskers.

Equipped with torch lights, 'mashal,' crackers and drums, the QRT which comprises eight forest guards will be driving away the huge elephants into jungle from near the human habitats on short notice.

A huge herd of wild elephants is anchored at Rajabasa and the adjoining Hatibasa jungle in Chakulia range about 75 kms away close to Bengal border since the past one month.

During the day, the herd comprised 65 elephants, including calves stay in the jungles, but after the sunset, it moves toward the nearby villages. By entering into the villages, the elephants not only damage the paddy crops but also damage houses.

Revealing about the elephant menace, Chakulia forest danger, Digvijay Singh said the herd has come from Bengal through a narrow passage in the forest track between the two states a month ago, but not returning back. "We had made repeated attempts to drive the herd back to Bengal by engaging local elephant drivers. But each time the herd get stuck to the jungles located in the Jharkhand side of the forest. In the evening, the elephants use to move towards the human habitats again, " said Singh while talking to The Telegraph Online.

He pointed out after failing to drive the elephants away to their natural habitat in Bengal that they had to set up the QRT which will be working in tandem with the villagers for protecting the lives and property of the local residents. The forest ranger, on being queried, said a deep trench-like nalla has been dug in the elephant corridor recently on the Bengal side.

"Moreover, the migratory elephants are getting enough food and water in the jungles here. This is the reason that the herd is not returning back, " said the ranger. He pointed out the migratory elephants are feeling so free in Chakulia that they tend to go over villages located far away after crossing the railway level-crossing.