Rangia, Nov. 9 -- Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah has announced the deployment of 140 village youths, organised into 14 teams, to help prevent elephant incursions into human settlements in Tamulpur district amid rising human-elephant conflict along the India-Bhutan border.

The teams, to be called 'Gaj Mitras', will operate across the Kumarikata, Batabari and Tamulpur forest ranges. Each team will comprise 10 village youths and three Forest Department officials, Baruah said.

"Human-elephant conflict has been reported in Tamulpur and Nalbari districts. So, we held a meeting today and decided on a few measures. In Tamulpur, 14 Gaj Mitra teams will be deployed, with each team comprising 10 village youths. A total of 140 members w...