Keonjhar, Oct 11: A herd of 30 elephants has been stranded on an island in the middle of the Baitarani River near Dharia, under the Khireitangiri section of Patana Range in Keonjhar district. The incident occurred late Friday night while the herd was attempting to cross the river en route to Mayurbhanj district.

Forest officials report that the elephants became trapped on the island as they were moving from Dumuriguda, crossing National Highway 49 and the Baitarani River. The situation has drawn large crowds on both riverbanks, further complicating the animals’ movement and preventing them from continuing their journey.

The Forest Department has deployed staff to monitor the herd closely and ensure their safety. As the elephants remained stranded for over seven hours without food, officials arranged for emergency feeding. Items such as sugarcane, jackfruit leaves, and bananas were provided to the animals to sustain them during the ordeal.

Authorities have urged the public to avoid gathering near the site to allow the elephants a safe passage out of the river area.

Tags: elephants stranded