A wild tusker from Similipal National Park entered Baripada town in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Thursday, forcing people to remain indoors till the animal was chased away from human habitation areas.

In the early hours of Thursday, the sub-adult tusker was found roaming in the town unable to find the route to return to its habitation inside the Similipal National Park.

A video circulating on social media showed the elephant running from one place to another in the town. However, no one was injured, officials said, adding that the animal had caused some minor damage by breaking the iron grills of some houses and boundary walls.

The elephant first trespassed into MKC Government High School. Although the school was closed because of Makar Sankranti and Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa’s inauguration, some students were in the hostel.

“We evacuated about 30 children from the hostel as the animal broke the boundary wall of the school,” a police officer said.