Tusker crosses NH-55 in Odisha after breaking roadside barricade
The incident near Oranda caused panic among motorists and passengers travelling on the highway late on Monday night.
A tusker smashed through a roadside barricade and crossed National Highway-55 near Oranda in Cuttack district late on Monday night, according to reports by Deccan Chronicle and Urban Acres. The elephant emerged near the Khuntuni forest range under the Cuttack Forest division.
The sudden appearance of the animal caused alarm among commuters and passengers on the highway. No injuries or damage to vehicles were reported following the crossing.
The incident follows several human-elephant conflict cases in Odisha. On October 21, a man was trampled to death while sleeping in his house in Dahimal village, Bolangir district. On October 10, an elephant damaged a boundary wall and a hand pump at a government primary school in Dadhiapadar village, also in Bolangir.
Wildlife activist Kambu Dhar Kheti said that efforts to push elephants back into forests often fail to offer a permanent solution because the animals keep entering human areas and crossing major roads. Kheti noted that elephant corridors intersect with roads and public infrastructure, making it necessary to address both animal movement and human safety.
Villagers at the Dadhiapadar school have requested the relocation of the institution closer to their homes due to the risks faced by the 35 students attending the forest-based school.