Jharsuguda: Panic gripped the residents of Jharsuguda town in Odisha after a herd of elephants strayed into the locality in the early hours of Sunday.
According to reports, a herd of nine elephants were spotted found moving in the Mangal Bazaar, Sarbahal and Mungapada areas of Jharsuguda town. The animals are said to have strayed from the Himagiri forest in the Sundargarh district after crossing the Ib river.
Earlier, the Forest department had alerted about a 12-member jumbo herd and deployed a special squad on the outskirts of the town to prevent their entry. However, nine of the elephants managed to sneak into the town, leaving people in a state of panic.
The Forest officials launched an operation and finally drove the elephants out. It was learnt that the herd was now holed up in the nearby Brundamal forest area, the sources added. However, no damage was caused due to the infiltration of the wild animals.
