Rourkela: Panic gripped residents of Biramitrapur in Sundargarh district from late Sunday night to Monday morning after a wild tusker wandered through the densely populated area, raising concerns over public safety and possible property damage.The elephant emerged from the Laleikhaman-Jalanbira reserve forest on Sunday night and crossed NH-143 before being spotted moving along the highway. Around 10 pm, it entered Biramitrapur and roamed through residential areas, triggering panic among residents and motorists. As news of the tusker’s presence spread, curious onlookers gathered at a distance for a glimpse of the animal, while others remained indoors amid fears of attack.Forest officials from Biramitrapur range rushed to the spot after receiving information about the elephant’s movement and kept a close watch on its movements throughout the night. They repeatedly urged people not to approach the animal and to maintain a safe distance.The tusker continued moving through different parts of the town until around 6 am on Monday. Forest personnel then launched an operation to steer the elephant away from habitations and guide it back to the forest.The operation succeeded on Monday morning, with the elephant re-entering the Laleikhaman-Jalanbira reserve forest. “The tusker is currently camping inside the reserve forest and we are closely monitoring its movement,” said Sudesana Subhadarsini Pradhan, range officer, Biramitrapur forest range. Forest officials said surveillance has been intensified in the area to prevent the elephant from straying back into human settlements.