The elephant in Nilgiri on Sunday. Telegraph Picture

Balasore, Oct. 13: Panic spread in Nilgiri as a wild tusker entered the area on Sunday.

Generally, elephant herds are seen causing havoc in Nilgiri during the last week of October and first week of November, coinciding with the paddy harvest period .

Rabi Rout , a local wildlife activist said: “ The tusker has arrived in advance. We apprehend the arrival of a big elephant herd after some days.”

The elephant was seen moving inside Kuldhia sanctuary and reserve forest.

It had damaged a few houses and caused damages to the paddy crop.

The tusker intruded into the district from Mayurbhanj. Not only did it uproot some of the solar fences, it also filled up the trenches.

Divisional forest officer Harsh Bardhan Udgata said: “This tusker has applied its own intelligence to remove the solar fencing from the weak battery patch and to fill the trench portion to make its way without much effort.”

Nilgiri forest range officer Laxman Kumar Pradhan said: “We have been keeping a watch on the tusker and last night we had chased him out of our territory. It is now in between Udala and Khunta range of Mayurbhanj.”