Rourkela: Tension gripped Rourkela in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on Tuesday as two wild elephants strayed into the campus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, sparking panic among students, faculty, and nearby residents.
According to sources, the elephants — an adult female and a calf — were part of a larger herd of 26 that had earlier entered the reserve forest under Santoshpur panchayat in Bisra block. The herd later split, with some members moving toward human settlements. The two that entered the NIT campus reportedly broke through a wall from the nearby Durgapur hills. The sudden intrusion caused chaos, with students rushing to safety.
Following which, the authorities at NIT-R issued precautionary advisories, urging students to avoid venturing out unnecessarily.
Forest department officials, along with police personnel, were immediately deployed to the site. Efforts are underway to drive the elephants back into the forested areas surrounding Rourkela.
Meanwhile, villagers in Jamsara panchayat and nearby Khadan Toli and Dalposh are also on alert with a larger group of elephants still in the area. No casualties or major damage have been reported so far.
