Panic gripped the residential settlement of Abhinav Bidanasi here throughout the day on Monday when an adult elephant entered into a park with dense plantation. The park is located on the left embankment of river Kathajodi.
Forest officials said the tusker had been separated from a herd of about 15 elephants which was crossing the river and going to the nearby Athagarh Forest Range. "The male elephant is believed to be between 12 and 15 years old and it has tusk," said city Forest Range Officer AK Mishra. At least 50 personnel from the Forest Department and personnel from the local Market Nagar police station were deployed around the park restricting the people coming close to the site. Mishra said the elephant would be chased back to the river after dusk. The seemingly panicked tusker was seen loitering around the park while the anxious onlookers climbed atop buildings to get a glimpse of the wild animal.Till this report was filed early in the evening, the animal had already stayed in the urban environment for more than 12 hours.