A bus driver was forced to reverse his vehicle for more than a kilometre on Friday because a wild elephant was walking down the middle of the road.

A bus owned by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) was on its way to Chikmagalur on May 4 when it came across an elephant near Shantaveri Ghat.

As it was a mountainous, narrow stretch of road, there wasn't space to turn the vehicle so the bus driver chose to back up rather than risk a confrontation with the oncoming animal.

Only after the elephant left the road and returned to the forest, did the driver continue on his way.

KSRTC officials said the driver did the right thing as two people have been killed by a lone tusker over the last few months.