Ranchi, Nov. 30: Separated from its herd, a tusker has been wrecking havoc in Kurdeg area of Simdega district for the past three days, injuring a person and damaging a motorcycle today.

It also ransacked several houses and ruined crops.

"We had blocked NH-23 for general traffic movement. Two persons on a motorcycle took an alternative route and suddenly came across the elephant. They soon abandoned their bike and fled. Thereafter, the elephant trampled their motorcycle," said divisional forest officer T. Bhagat.

Bhagat added that the elephant also injured a man.

"This morning, he lifted a man with its trunk and threw him on the ground. But he survived. The losses caused to the villagers, whose houses were damaged, are being assessed. Our main challenge now is drive out the elephant to a safe place," the divisional forest officer said.

Simdega deputy commissioner Vijay Kumar Singh maintained that the elephant was still moving around in forest villages bordering Jashpur in Chhattisgarh.

A team of experts from Bankura (Bengal) was expected to arrive soon to drive away the elephant.

"I have been told that the Bankura team is now busy with rescue operations in Noamundi. But, they are expected to arrive here late in the evening. Forest department officials are now taking care of the rescue works. The situation is under control," he added.