Saraskana: A herd of 70 elephants from Jharkhand has unleashed a reign of terror in Sirsa forest section under this block in Bangiriposhi forest range of Mayurbhanj district trampling two persons to death, Sunday night.
The deceased were identified as Budhia Munda, 38, and Phulamani Munda, 60, in Digarishola village under the block. In the first case, Budhia came face-to-face with the herd when he was returning home after purchasing provisions from the village haat, Sunday evening. A tusker in the herd picked him on its tusk and trampled him to death.
In the second case, Phulamani of the same village was asleep at home after dinner when a tusker of the herd pulled down her house. She was crushed to death under the rubbles of her house. Later, family members with the help of fire personnel rushed her to Sirsa community health centre where the doctors pronounced her dead. Jharpokharia police registered two cases of unnatural deaths and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
The twin deaths sparked tension in the village. The villagers were incensed by non-arrival of Bangiriposhi ranger (in-charge) Lakshmidhar Behera and forester Gurubari Marandi at the village following the tragic deaths despite being informed.
Later, ranger Lakshmidhar Behera, local MLA Budhan Murmu, DSP Mukti Kumar Kulu, tehsildar Lalatendu C, BDO Karunakar Panda and others reached the spot and tried to placate the agitating villagers.
The villagers instead detained them and narrated their ordeal as to how they are living in an atmosphere of constant fear and trepidation. They deplored the forest officials for their inability in driving away the elephants. They alleged that many of them have fled their homes and taken shelter in their relatives’ houses in neighbouring villages while some have to climb the mobile towers to save themselves from marauding tuskers.
The villagers released them after the officials announced `4 lakh assistance to each of the bereaved families. The officials said that 10 per cent of the assistance will be paid to the deceaseds’ kin for the post death rituals while the remaining amount will be paid within a month. Moreover, Budhia’s wife will be given a job in the forest department.
