70-year-old man killed in attack by elephant herd

Post News Network

Odapada, Dec 16: A 70-year-old man was Tuesday killed in an attack by a marauding jumbo herd which strayed into Balaram Prasad village under this block in Dhenkanal district, forest department officials said.

Victim Gandharb Sahu, a mutt chief, was rushed to the district headquarters hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. Sadar forest ranger Bibhuti Bhusan Pattnaik and other officials reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. Locals sighted the herd in the morning. About 1,000 people then tried to drive away the elephants, following which the animals got incensed and attacked Sahu. The victim was, however, not a part of the group which was driving away the herd. The villagers claimed the elephants damaged paddy crops.

“We have given Rs 10,000 as preliminary assistance to the bereaved family. They will get further compensation as per norms,” said assistant conservator of forest Jitendra Kumar Das.
In a separate incident, two persons of Haldiabahal village in the district were rendered homeless after a herd of about 20 elephants pulled down their houses while crushing all of their belongings.