A wild tusker that entered Biramitrapur in Sundargarh district after crossing NH-143 was guided back into the Laleikhaman-Jalanbira reserve forest on Monday morning, ending hours of concern for residents, motorists and forest officials.
The elephant emerged from the reserve forest on Sunday night and was spotted moving along the highway before entering the densely populated town at around 10 pm. It then moved through residential areas, prompting residents to remain indoors and raising fears of an attack or property damage.
The tusker’s movement also drew curious onlookers, who gathered at a distance to see the animal. Forest officials from the Biramitrapur range reached the area after receiving information and monitored its movements throughout the night. They repeatedly appealed to residents not to approach the elephant and to maintain a safe distance.
The animal continued moving through different parts of Biramitrapur until around 6 am on Monday. Forest personnel then began an operation to steer it away from habitations and guide it towards the reserve forest. The operation succeeded when the tusker re-entered the Laleikhaman-Jalanbira forest.
“The tusker is currently camping inside the reserve forest and we are closely monitoring its movement,” Sudesana Subhadarsini Pradhan, range officer of the Biramitrapur forest range, said.
The incident placed a forest-edge settlement and a major highway in the same risk zone. The tusker crossed NH-143 before entering the town, bringing wildlife movement into direct contact with traffic and residential activity. The presence of onlookers added to the challenge for officials managing the animal’s movement through populated areas.
No attack, injury or property damage was reported in the supplied account. Forest officials have intensified surveillance around the area to prevent the elephant from straying back into human settlements. Their immediate response is focused on tracking the tusker inside the reserve forest and alerting residents if it begins moving towards Biramitrapur again.
The next steps will depend on the elephant’s movements within the reserve forest. Officials said monitoring would continue to reduce the possibility of another entry into nearby habitations.
