Panic gripped locals as a wild elephant charged at vehicles after straying into a highway in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

The incident took place near the Jeetu Shawls Sponge Iron factory along the State Highway 5 in Jhargram city on June 4.

Footage shows the elephant in the middle of the road, charging towards passing vehicles. The animal manages to stop a mini truck for a few seconds.

A man can also be seen throwing bamboos at the elephant's direction, in an attempt to distract it, as locals panic.

According to local reports, the wild male elephant strayed out of the forest and the area is infamous for wild elephants invading crops and foraging villages for food.

Panic gripped locals as an elephant charged at vehicles after straying into a highway in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

The incident took place near Jeetu Shawls Sponge Iron factory along the State Highway 5 in the Jhargram city of the eponymous district on June 4.

According to reports, a wild male elephant had strayed out of the forest.

The elephant stomped in the middle of the road and charged towards passing vehicles.

Visuals showed the elephant managing to stop a mini truck for a few seconds, in an attempt to extort food, however, the driver of the vehicle manages to drive away.

Next, it intercepts a car and starts to check it. Suddenly, the pachyderm tries to topple the car, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

A man can be seen throwing bamboos at the elephant's direction, in an attempt to distract it.

The trick seems to work as the elephant stops.

Locals can be seen panicking in the video as they scream to pursue the elephant away into the forest.

The area is infamous for wild elephants invading the crops and the villages foraging for food.