Jumbo strays into Badamba market, driven back to forest (Cuttack) Manabesh Mohanty, The Times of India December 1, 2024 Forest officials struggled for hours to drive away an elephant which had strayed into Badamba market, here on Sunday. Locals informed the forest officials after they caught sight of the elephant. Divisional forest officer (DFO), Athagarh, Jangyadatta Pati, said, "The elephant likely strayed into the market from the nearby forest in search of food. We ensured that no harm came to the animal or the people during the operation. Our team used non-invasive techniques to guide the jumbo back to its natural habitat." After a three-hour operation, the officials successfully guided the elephant back into the nearby forest. "We are monitoring the elephant's movements to prevent further incursions into human settlements," said Pati. "I was surprised to see such a majestic creature up close in the market. We got scared. The forest department must take precautions to avoid such situations in the future as it can be dangerous for both animal and the public," said Sumanta Senapati, a shopkeeper. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/wild-elephant-causes-stir-in-badamba-market-local-forest-officials-take-action/articleshow/115872826.cms