Siliguri: A herd of elephants entered the locality from the Kalabari forest near the Indo-Nepal border of Kharibari block near Siliguri at around noon on Sunday. The herd forayed into the locality from the forest in search of food.
Moments later the herd of elephants started roaming in the forest along the river Mechi. One cub got separated from the herd that wandered in the Neopania village near Kalabari for quite some time. Bagdogra Range and Sukna Elephant Task Force of Kurseong Forest Division reached the spot soon after getting the news. The officers tried their best to get the cub back into the herd, but the parents refused to take the cub back.
Even the other elephants in the herd refused to take him back. With no option, the cub went astray and somehow crossed the Mechi River and landed in the neighbouring country Nepal. On the other hand, the state forest department became worried as soon as it entered Nepal. A special team of forest officials and workers had to rescue the cub from Nepal overnight.
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The officers then contacted the Kankarvita Forest Division of the Ministry of Forests of Nepal in the night itself. According to forest department sources, a special team of 18 people was sent to Kakarvitta in the night under the leadership of the Kurseong Forest Division. The latest news from Nepal Forest Department said the cub is currently in the area adjacent to Bamandangi forest in Nepal.
Kurseong's DFO Hare Krishnan said, "It is not known why the cub was not taken back by the herd of elephants. The cub did not even come into contact with humans. The cub has entered Nepal. All procedures have been initiated to bring the cub back. The cooperation of the Nepal Forest Department has been sought. The cub is being monitored."
