A herd of wild elephants apparently foraging for food grains vandalised a primary school on a tea estate in Jalpaiguri district on Monday morning, a few hours before the institution reopened after the summer vacation.

Classrooms, teachers' room and office room of Tondu TG III Primary School were damaged by around eight elephants which had strayed out of the neighbouring Diana forest. The school is located in the Bamandanga-Tondu tea garden in Nagrakata block.

“Ever since the school was established (in 1972), elephants attacked it at least 70 times. Today, the school reopened after 47 days (of vacation) and on the very first day, students have to attend classes in damaged rooms. Six of seven classrooms were damaged by the elephants today,” said Laxminarayan Shah, an assistant teacher at the school.

Local people said the elephants reached the school around 5am in search of foodgrains stocked for mid-day meals. But the animals couldn't find the food grains.

The elephants went on ransacking the school for about an hour and then returned to the forest.

According to sources, 180 students study at the primary school.

“The school is also used to teach 150 students of Bamandanga TG Junior High School. This is because the junior high school is a few kilometres away and students have to risk their lives to reach there as on one side, there is the Gorumara National Park, while on the other side, the Diana forest is located,” said Sunanda Oraon, a resident.

The residents said teachers visited the primary school and took classes for students of the junior high school twice a week because there was no school bus from the garden.

“We can somehow manage classes at primary level but there are doubts whether classes of junior high school can be held,” said a teacher.

Elephant attack

Wild elephants raided a grocery shop at Chanadipa in Dhupguri block of Jalpaiguri district on Sunday night and devoured various food items.

Tapan Sarkar, the shop owner, suffered huge losses.

Sources said an elephant had reached the area from the Khuttimari forest. It damaged Sarkar’s shop and devoured rice, lentils and other food items. The villagers somehow steered the animal back to the forest.

Soon after, another elephant reached the area and attacked the same shop. The residents intervened again and the animal returned to the forest after some time.

“Nothing is left in my shop. I hope the forest department will give me compensation," said the shop owner.

Officers of the forest department said Sarkar was entitled to compensation. “He needs to apply to get compensation according to state government rules,” said a forest officer.