Panic as wild elephants enter stadium
Panic reigned in the steel city of Rourkela, nearly 350 km from here, as a herd of wild elephants entered the Bisra Stadium late on Friday evening.
The pachyderms, believed to have strayed from the Saranda forests in neighbouring Jharkhand, were holed up in the stadium as forest officials closed all the gates of the sports ground to prevent the animals running amok and causing damage to life and property.
Official sources said the 11-strong herd comprising six females, two males and three calves had stayed for the last couple of days near Bisra Rehabilitation and Settlement (RS) Colony before marching towards Rourkela city.
The influx of jumbos in the local Kuanrmunda forest range was first noticed in March this year, and some of them had even come perilously close to human habitation on the outskirts of the city.
However, this time the wild elephants have managed to not only enter the city limits but have been able to virtually taken over the sprawling Bisra Maidan.
Although the elephants did not harm anybody, they damaged a wall, a few kiosks and three auto rickshaws before crossing the Ring Road and then reaching the stadium.
Rourkela Plant Site police got the information and informed forest officials.
“On getting information about the presence of the herd, we informed the forest department and moved to the spot. By that time a small crowd was watching the scene”, said inspector Arun Swain.
Divisional forest officer S. Kumar said evacuation would start during the night.
Food items like banana, mango and large branches of banyan and other trees were thrown in the stadium to keep the jumbos in good humour.
“We are planning to start the process of evacuation at around 10 pm. For that, the preparation is being made,” the DFO informed.
Post new comment