Bhubaneswar, Dec. 30 -- A lone tusker strayed into Ambo village under the Anandapur subdivision of Odisha's Keonjhar district early on Tuesday, triggering panic among local residents and putting forest and police authorities on high alert. The elephant is suspected to have wandered into the human settlement from the nearby Hadgarh Elephant Sanctuary.

Forest officials said a coordinated response was initiated soon after the tusker was sighted inside the village. However, large crowds soon gathered along roadsides to catch a glimpse of the animal, raising serious concerns over public safety and the risk of human-elephant conflict.

A 20-member Forest Department team, led by the Anandapur Divisional Forest Officer, has been deployed to clos...