PERNEM, JUNE 28 - Wild elephants have returned to haunt residents of Khutwal and Alorna villages in Pernem taluka, defying efforts to get them driven outside the State. On Friday evening, the elephants destroyed banana plantations of Yeshwant Naik, Gopal Naik and Rama Naik and the sugarcane plantations of Ganpat Raul, Santosh Naik and Chandel Deputy Sarpanch Divya Naik. Forest Officer Mr Britto took stock of the damage and has submitted a report to the forest department. Locals told Herald that a female elephant had delivered recently and the herd of elephants was seen along with the calf. Sources disclosed that forest officials and locals at Dodamarg (Maharashtra) had driven the elephants back towards Goa's borders on Friday evening. To make matters worse for villagers of Alorna and surrounding areas, there are speculations that the elephants could remain in Pernem taluka for a few weeks because of the calf, complicating attempts to move them out of the State.