Bhubaneswar, Feb 25 (IANS): The wild tusker, that had trampled four people to death and injured five others in Odisha's Puri district on Sunday, was spotted on the outskirts of the state capital on Monday, officials said.
However, the forest officials successfully drove the pachyderm back from Ghatikia area of Bhubaneswar into the Chandaka forest after launching a massive operation.
"The wild tusker was spotted near Ghatikia on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Monday. We have sent back the elephant into Chandaka forest," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) H.S. Upadhyay said.
He also confirmed that the wild elephant had killed four persons in Khurda and Puri forest divisions on Sunday.
Sources said the elephant killed Jugal Bhatta of Gopinathpur village, Makar Palei of Chandradeipur, Chaitanya Sahu of Rajatai village and Ajay Nayak of Jamalpur in Pipili area of Puri district. It also injured six others.