Khurda: A wild elephant strayed into populated area of Odisha’s Khurda town, sparking panic among the local people, on Tuesday afternoon.
According to sources, eyewitnesses say a lone adult tusker on the farm land adjacent to the National Highway 57 running through Khurda town at around 1 pm. The elephant crossed the dry field and came over the NH. Panicked by the sight of the huge animal, vehicles including trucks, tankers and buses moving on both sides of the road came to a standstill.
But the elephant crossed the NH without causing any harm to any vehicle or individual and headed towards the district headquarters hospital (DHH). While it took rest in the cashew plantation and eucalyptus forest adjacent to the DHH, the people in nearby localities, which are densely populated, remained in a panic.
On being informed, Forest officials reached the spot and cautioned the locals not to approach or disturb the elephant. They said the wild animal might have strayed from a herd in nearby Chandaka forest and came to the town in search of water due to rising temperature.
As per the latest reports, the Forest officials were keeping a close watch on the movement of the wild elephant and were planning to herd it back to the forest.
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