Chikkamagaluru
A wild elephant appearing on the road at the 10th curve of the famous Charamadi Ghat in Mudigere taluk caused panic among motorists, bringing traffic to a complete standstill for over an hour.
The solitary elephant stood in the middle of the road, disrupting movement along the busy ghat section that connects Dakshina Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts. Due to the weekend rush, a large number of vehicles were already on the route, which worsened the traffic congestion on both sides of the stretch.
Motorists were left stranded as some stopped their vehicles at a safe distance, while others attempted to capture the incident on their mobile phones. Local residents and forest department staff rushed to the spot and warned drivers to maintain distance from the animal.
After remaining on the road for some time, the elephant eventually moved back into the forest, allowing traffic to resume. However, the disruption lasted for more than an hour, causing inconvenience to hundreds of commuters.
Forest officials noted that elephant movement in the region has been increasing recently and urged motorists to exercise caution, especially during night travel through forested ghat sections.
Locals and regular commuters expressed concern, stating that such incidents have become frequent in Charamadi Ghat. They recalled a similar disruption last week when an elephant blocked the same stretch, leading to prolonged traffic jams.
Residents have urged the forest department to take necessary measures, including possibly relocating the elephant, to ensure safer and uninterrupted travel through the ghat road.
