Kandhamal: Elephant comes in front of bus in G Udayagiri, passengers frightened
The bus was headed towards Berhampur when the unexpected encounter sent shockwaves among the passengers.
A dramatic incident unfolded on the G.Udayagiri-Kalinga main road yesterday when an elephant suddenly ran in front of a private bus, Maa Durga Travels, near Nandagiri’s Pansaba area. The bus was headed towards Berhampur when the unexpected encounter sent shockwaves among the passengers.
The elephant’s sudden appearance caused panic among the travelers, who were left frightened by the close encounter. This incident has spread fear among the residents of the G.Udayagiri area.
According to reports, about two to three months ago, a herd of 48 elephants migrated from the Mujagarh forest in the northern Ghumusar forest to the G.Udayagiri forest. While 45 elephants have since returned, three rogue elephants have remained in the area, wreaking havoc on local communities. These elephants have been destroying crops and damaging homes, causing significant distress to the residents.
The situation has worsened by recent incidents of human-animal conflict. Just a few days ago, two people were trampled to death, and two bulls were killed in separate incidents.
The locals, frustrated with the situation, staged a protest in front of the forest department office, demanding action to drive away the elephants.
The forest department assured the protesters that they would take measures to chase away the elephants, and the protest was subsequently called off.
Since then, teams of four to five forest staff members have been trying to drive away the elephants. However, the elephants continue to roam the forest, evading capture by the forest staff.
