Odisha Villagers Sleep On Rooftops As Rogue Tusker Wreaks Havoc For Over A Week
The elephant’s prolonged presence has disrupted daily life. Those living close to the forest are now afraid to venture out to collect firewood or forest produce—activities that form the backbone of their livelihood
Bhubaneswar: Fear has taken over Raipada village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, where a wild tusker has been roaming human settlements for the past eight days, forcing terrified families to seek refuge on their rooftops.
What began as a sporadic intrusion has now turned into a daily ordeal for villagers in G Udayagiri block, with the elephant showing no signs of returning to the forest. Most residents, especially women and children, have abandoned sleep indoors, opting instead to spend the nights on terraces in constant fear of an attack.
“I was feeding my cow in the shed when the elephant suddenly charged at me. I barely managed to escape by running up to the terrace. The elephant destroyed parts of our mud house. We’re left with nowhere to sleep,” recalled Rani Pradhan of Raipada.
The elephant’s prolonged presence has disrupted daily life. Those living close to the forest are now afraid to venture out to collect firewood or forest produce—activities that form the backbone of their livelihood.
“In our village, many families depend on collecting sal leaves from the forest to make plates. But no one dares go there now. The animal’s presence in our vicinity has affected our livelihood patterns. Our income has stopped, and some of us are struggling to even feed our children,” said Sabita Nayak of Nandagiri village.
On Sunday, panic gripped nearly 60 passengers aboard a bus traveling from Raikia in Kandhamal to Berhampur in Ganjam district when the wild tusker suddenly appeared in the middle of the road. With nerves of steel, the driver quickly threw the bus into reverse, slowly backing away as anxious passengers held their breath. Startled and unsure, the elephant paused for a moment before lumbering back into the forest.
Despite efforts, forest officials have been unable to drive the animal away. Forest guard Manoj Mahapatra said, “We’ve been tracking the elephant’s movements round-the-clock. Our teams are alert and doing everything possible to prevent casualties. Updates are being regularly sent to higher authorities.”
As the standoff continues, villagers remain in a state of fear and uncertainty—caught between a rogue tusker and the slow pace of intervention.
