Bhubaneswar, April 24: Tension flared in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district after angry villagers allegedly assaulted forest personnel and vandalised a government vehicle during a human-elephant conflict incident in the Bahalda area.

The incident occurred under the Baripada Forest Division and Khunta police station limits in Baripada. According to reports, a tusker strayed from the nearby Similipal National Park and entered human settlements, damaging several houses and triggering panic among residents.

Forest department teams reached the spot to drive the elephant back into the forest. However, agitated villagers, reportedly frustrated over repeated incidents and alleged delay in response, intercepted the team. In the ensuing confrontation, seven forest personnel were allegedly assaulted, and their Bolero vehicle was damaged.

Sources said locals had alerted the authorities about the elephant’s presence in the afternoon, but the response team arrived late in the evening, by which time the animal had already caused damage. The delay reportedly fueled anger, leading to the clash.

Additional forest staff later reached the area, rescued the trapped personnel, and brought the situation under control. No serious injuries have been reported so far. The incident underscores rising tensions over frequent human-elephant conflicts in the region.

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