A wild elephant was spotted on a busy road near an iron ore mine close to Raikala in the Barsuan range of Sundargarh district on Thursday, raising serious safety concerns after several people were seen recklessly chasing the animal and recording videos.

According to reports, the lone elephant roamed along the road for a considerable period. Instead of maintaining a safe distance, groups of locals were seen violating safety norms by approaching the animal to film it. Visuals that surfaced on social media show people running behind the elephant, disregarding the risk to both human life and the animal.

Viral Videos Raise Accountability Questions

Videos of the incident soon went viral on social media, prompting questions about accountability in the event of any loss of life or property. Wildlife experts have repeatedly warned that approaching elephants can cause stress and trigger defensive behaviour, often leading to attacks.

Reports indicate that several fatal incidents involving elephants in the past were linked to people attempting to take selfies or record videos at close range. At the time of Thursday evening’s incident, no Forest Department personnel were present at the spot.

Despite repeated awareness campaigns and advisories issued by the Forest Department urging people not to chase or provoke wild animals, such guidelines continue to be ignored.

Expert Warns of Legal Action Under Wildlife Law

Wildlife expert Biswajit Mohanty criticised the behaviour and said the incident reflected a disturbing trend.

“These videos show a dangerous mindset, particularly among sections of today’s youth. Many are driven by the urge to capture photos and videos for social media, sometimes even to monetise them. People deliberately chase elephants, shout at them, throw stones, and, in extreme cases, even pull their tails just to get footage. This amounts to deliberate harassment of wildlife,” Mohanty said.

He urged the Forest Department to identify such content on social media and initiate action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

Also Read: Balasore elephant attack: Man trampled to death, villagers in fear

Mohanty added that local residents are generally aware of elephant behaviour but continue to ignore warnings. “Elephants usually try to avoid conflict and often make mock charges only to scare people away. Panic during such situations can lead to falls and accidental trampling. Elephants do not attack humans without provocation,” he said.