A wild elephant strayed into a locality in Matiali block of Jalpaiguri from the neighbouring Kharia Bandar forest and damaged an anganwadi centre on Monday night.

Sampa Sarkar, a worker associated with the centre, said that the block officials were informed to carry out repair work to continue classes at the centre.

Locals said that wild elephants have attacked the centre a number of times in search of food. After such attacks, the food grains which are cooked and provided to children are kept elsewhere so that elephants don’t devour it.

Leopard cubs

Three leopard cubs were spotted in the drain of Aibheel tea estate, also located in Matiali block, on Tuesday.

Foresters reached the spot and examined the cubs.

“It is a common practice among leopards to breed cubs in tea gardens. In due course, the mother will take the cubs to the forest. We have asked the workers and local people not to venture in the area to avoid leopard attacks,” said a forester.

In another incident in the neighbouring Alipurduar district, an adult leopard was trapped in the plantations of the Chinchula tea estate located in Kalchini block of the district on Monday.

Sources said the foresters had laid a cage in the garden following complaints by residents about the presence of a leopard.

“The residents complained that a leopard was hunting their cattle and poultry. Today morning, the locals heard the big cat growling in the trap. The foresters were
informed who reached the spot and took the animal away. It will be kept under observation and released into the wild in due course,” a source said.

Electrocuted

The owner of a roadside tea stall was electrocuted after he is said to have come in contact with a live wire attached to a signboard on Strand Road in Calcutta on Monday morning.

Police said Subhash Adhikary, 37, got electrocuted when he went to collect a broom kept on the footpath.

Adhikary was taken to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, where he was declared dead.