TV
Tension gripped commuters on the G Udayagiri–Kalinga road in Kandhamal district this morning after a wild tusker suddenly emerged onto the road and charged towards a passenger bus, halting traffic and sending passengers into panic. A video of the incident, captured by onlookers, has now gone viral on social media.
As per the events recorded in the video, the tusker, after standing for several minutes on the road and approaching the bus head-on, eventually retreated into the forest without causing physical harm. However, passengers were left shaken by the close encounter.
The road, a key stretch in southern Kandhamal, saw disrupted traffic and panic among travellers, many of whom abandoned their vehicles momentarily out of fear.
Longstanding Elephant Presence Raises Concerns
Forest officials and local residents confirmed that two tuskers have been roaming the G Udayagiri forest zone for several days, causing frequent disturbances. These elephants have reportedly been involved in multiple incidents of crop destruction and even claimed the lives of two locals in recent months.
Despite repeated efforts by the Forest Department to drive the elephants back into deep forested areas, no lasting solution has been found. Local villagers continue to live in fear, especially those residing near forest fringes and travel routes.
As of now, no official statement has been issued by the Forest Department regarding today’s incident or the current status of the elephants.
Meanwhile, last evening, a farmer was trampled to death by an elephant while attempting to drive away a herd to protect his crops in the Bhuinya Juang Pada forest range, under the jurisdiction of the Keonjhar Forest Division.
Reports stated that a herd of elephants had entered the village and had started damaging standing crops. To protect their harvest, villagers gathered and tried to drive the animals away. It was during this chaos that the farmer was crushed to death.
