<p>Dhamtari: In an incident coinciding with Wildlife Protection Week, a wild elephant entered Dhamtari city on Monday night, exposing lapses in forest management. The elephant, which strayed from the forest, roamed through several colonies and streets for nearly three hours before being driven back into the wild.</p><p>The tusker was first spotted in the Dangimacha-Gangrel area and later moved towards Rudri via Maradev around 8 PM, reaching close to the residences of senior officials. Several locals gathered to take photos and videos of the elephant. The forest and police teams used torchlights and sirens to divert the elephant, but struggled to control the situation.</p><p>The elephant's route stretched from Rudri Chowk to Jal Vihar Colony, Dulari Nagar, Balaji Colony, and Vindhyavasini Temple road, before it finally moved towards Harfatrai canal and crossed Donar around midnight. It later entered compartment number 117 of the North Singpur Range beyond Borsi forest, officials said.</p><p>Officials said that no casualties were reported, though authorities criticised the public for chasing the elephant in vehicles. District Forest Officer Shrikrishna Jadhav said the department continues to monitor the tusker's movement and has urged citizens to remain cautious.</p>
