Bhubaneswar: An injured tusker brought traffic to a standstill on Bharatpur-Chandaka road near Andharua village on the outskirts of the city on Thursday. It left hundreds of vehicles stranded for several hours and prompted an emergency response from the forest department.The elephant, which had suffered an injury on its front left leg inside Bharatpur reserve forest earlier this week, was reportedly tranquillised and treated by forest officials before being released back into the forest. However, the animal was spotted moving near Andharua on Wednesday night and eventually wandered onto the main road on Thursday morning.Sources said the tusker remained stationary on the road for a considerable period, causing long queues of vehicles on both sides. “We received information about the elephant’s presence on the road early in the morning. Our teams immediately reached the spot and monitored the animal’s movement,” said a forest department official.Officials attempted to guide the tusker back towards the forest, but the animal appeared reluctant to move because of its injury, officials said. Additional personnel were deployed to regulate traffic and prevent onlookers from approaching the elephant, they added. Many commuters expressed concern over the recurring movement of elephants in the area.Elephants were seen close to human habitations and major roads in the area. “It is risky for both people and the elephant. Vehicles were stranded for a long time, but everyone was worried about the animal as it was visibly limping,” said Subhanshu Mohanty, a resident of Andharua.The latest episode is not an isolated one. The Chandaka-Andharua-Daruthenga stretch has witnessed several instances of elephants straying onto roads and entering human habitations over the years. In Nov 2025, traffic movement was disrupted near Daruthenga area after an elephant was found lying on a road inside Chandaka forest region.The Chandaka-Dampara wildlife sanctuary, located on the western side of Bhubaneswar, has long been a hotspot for human-elephant interactions. Herds frequently move through Andharua, Daruthenga, Mendhasala and adjoining areas in search of food and water, occasionally crossing roads and entering nearby villages.