Bhubaneswar: A lone ‘makhna’ elephant wandered onto city roads in Bharatpur–Manimunda area of Bhubaneswar on Friday, triggering alarm among residents.
The elephant, which entered from the nearby Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary, was spotted in the residential locality, causing many locals to step out cautiously while others remained indoors. Its sheer size and unpredictable presence created momentary panic in the area.
Forest officials, which later shooed it back to the forests, attributed the movement to the animal’s search for food, noting that the ongoing mango season often lures elephants toward human settlements and orchards in search of ripe fruits.
Notably, elephant sightings have become more frequent in the Bharatpur region over the past 15 days, particularly on the city’s fringes. This incident comes shortly after a similar episode near Sikharchandi Hill, where two wild tuskers strayed from Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary into the hill area in mid-April. The elephants lingered for several days, disrupting picnics and raising safety fears among residents and visitors. Forest teams intensified vigil and eventually guided the animals back toward their habitat.
In response to the recurring movements, the Forest Department has deployed dedicated teams to monitor vulnerable pockets around Bhubaneswar and conduct regular patrols.
