Elephants Invade Shikharachandi Hills, Forest Teams Rush to Control

Bhubaneswar witnessed chaos on Friday as two tuskers strayed into Shikharachandi Hills, a popular picnic destination.

The elephants, believed to have wandered from Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary, damaged fences and moved toward Patharagadia village, leaving residents alarmed.

Train services were briefly disrupted when the herd crossed railway tracks, though no injuries were reported.

Forest officials quickly deployed teams to drive the elephants back toward Chandaka or Bharatpur forests, using drones to monitor their movements. Police have restricted public entry to the hills until the situation stabilises.

This is not the first such incident—similar elephant intrusions were reported in December 2025—highlighting the recurring human-elephant conflict in the region.

Experts attribute the problem to elephants searching for food and water, with picnic season crowds intensifying the risk.

Authorities remain on high alert, ensuring safety while working to guide the herd back to its natural habitat.