Traffic held for 4 hours as elephant on road treats itself to jaggery

  • | Sunday | 11th November, 2018

Many, including the driver of the vehicle, abandoned their vehicles and ran into the nearby forests for shelter. The animal took its own sweet time to feast even as travellers on the route stared at the sight in disbelief. Nainital: Traffic on National Highway-121 that passes through Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) came to a halt for over four hours after a tusker spotted bags of jaggery and other food items on top of a vehicle and raided the stock. It also ended up hitting nearby vehicles, leaving them with a dent.Rohit Goswami, who called up the forest department, said, “I had just reached Aam Danda adjacent to CTR when I caught a glimpse of the elephant . I quickly called up forest officials.”Pramod Pant, part of the forest team which drove the tusker away, said, “The elephant tried to push a car with its trunk but the occupants, a woman and her daughter, fled.

Nainital: Traffic on National Highway-121 that passes through Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) came to a halt for over four hours after a tusker spotted bags of jaggery and other food items on top of a vehicle and raided the stock. The animal took its own sweet time to feast even as travellers on the route stared at the sight in disbelief. Many, including the driver of the vehicle, abandoned their vehicles and ran into the nearby forests for shelter. Forest officials estimate that at least 500 vehicles were stuck on the busy highway that connects Kashipur to Pauri.It was only after the forest department fired several shots in the air did the tusker abandon its feasting. B P Pant, range officer, said that the tusker was with a herd that was crossing the road to reach Kosi river and was tempted by the smell of jaggery.“The vehicle stopped on the road and the animal must have caught a whiff of the food. Vehicles are not allowed to stop here and the driver violated the rules,” said director of CTR, Rahul (who only uses his first name).The tusker also became aggressive as queue of vehicles on both sides of the road grew longer and pandemonium ensued. It also ended up hitting nearby vehicles, leaving them with a dent.Rohit Goswami, who called up the forest department, said, “I had just reached Aam Danda adjacent to CTR when I caught a glimpse of the elephant . I quickly called up forest officials.”Pramod Pant, part of the forest team which drove the tusker away, said, “The elephant tried to push a car with its trunk but the occupants, a woman and her daughter, fled. No major damage was reported.”

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