Jharsuguda: Panic gripped among the residents of Industrial Town Jharsuguda after a herd of elephants strayed into the Mangal bazaar locality under Jharsuguda Municipality on the wee hours of Sunday
As per the forest officials, Nine Elephants who sneaked into the Jharsuguda Town locality from Jamuapali area near Rajpur of Brajrajnagar, after straying from Chhattisgarh area. The elephant herd including calf elephants had entered from Goushala Road and entered Mangal Bazaar through the Mungapara area.� However, the elephants stayed at that place around 30 mins and after which the Jharsuguda Police station Night Patrolling Team alerted the Jharsuguda Forest Officials who reached at the spot and drove away the elephants from Mangal Bazaar area. Later the elephant herd entered Bhurkhamunda Forest Area after crossing Sarbahal and Sunarimunda area.
A Team of Forest Officials and Elephant Tracking Squads had been continuously tracking the movement and had been warning the nearby residents about the presence of this herd. However, the elephants did not cause damage.
Hemu Kumar. Local resident of Jharsuguda Town who first saw said, �We had been putting up banner for the upcoming Ramnavami at Shani Temple Chowk, when I saw one elephant crossing the road and thought that someone might have brought for coming Ramnavami Procession, but in few seconds I again saw another elephant and later on whole family, we immediately informed the local police who later informed the forest officials who reached the spot and drove them away from the Mangal Bazaar area. This might be the first time that so many elephants had entered the town. We were really scared after seeing such huge animals entering our residential area.�
Jharsuguda Divisional Forest Officer Manu Ashok Bhat said, �The Elephant herd had sneaked into Brajrajnagar Forest Range initially from Chhattisgarh and after staying near Brajrajnagar Jamuapalli Village Forest, yesterday night, they were moving near the locality of Jharsuguda Town and had also entered inside the Town area. However, our forest officials who were tracking the movement had driven away the herd from the locality. Subsequently, the herd is residing at Bhurkhamunda Village Forest. As it is close to the locality, for precaution we have called in a five-member Quick Response Team from Rourkela and with the help of our forest officials will drive the elephant away from the Jharsuguda Forest Range.�
