Wild Elephants Go On Rampage On Highway, Smash Vehicles Including School Van

A herd of elephants damaged several vehicles near the Lansdowne Forest Division, including a Tempo Traveller carrying teachers. Traffic was disrupted for over two hours.

A herd of wild elephants damaged multiple vehicles and disrupted traffic on National Highway-534 near the Lansdowne Forest Division on Monday morning. The incident occurred near the Public Works Department store in the forest area.

The elephants damaged several vehicles, including a Tempo Traveller carrying school teachers. The vehicle was severely damaged, and items inside it were destroyed. Eyewitnesses said cash kept in the teachers' purses was also lost during the rampage.

Teachers' cash was lost as elephants destroyed items inside their vehicle

The teachers managed to escape the vehicle and reach safety. Traffic was disrupted for nearly two and a half hours, from around 5 am to 7:30 am, as motorists could not pass while the herd remained on the highway.

Forest Department personnel reached the spot and worked to control the situation. Officials said the herd had become agitated after finding its route blocked by vehicles on both sides of the highway. High water levels in the river below limited the animals' options to move away. The presence of several calves in the herd further contributed to their defensive and aggressive behaviour.

Forest personnel eventually guided the herd back towards the forest. Traffic resumed once the elephants moved to safety.