Lanjigada: A 61-year-old woman was killed after a wild elephant attacked her house in Kalahandi district late Friday night, while four other members of her family escaped unharmed, officials said. The victim, identified as Tilae Harijan of Pidelbaju village under Kumakhal panchayat in Lanjigada block, was unable to flee when a herd of elephants entered the village.
According to officials and locals, the animal broke into the family’s house, damaged the structure and consumed stored food grains before trampling the woman to death. Forest personnel led by Forester Suresh Chandra Rout visited the site Saturday morning, assessed the damage and launched an inquiry.
Police later registered an unnatural death case, conducted an inquest and handed over the body to the family after a post-mortem. Villagers alleged that police and administrative officials arrived several hours after the incident, prompting a three-hour road blockade on the Bishwanathpur–Bijepur road.
The protest was lifted after Additional Tehsildar Satyabrata Nayak, Assistant Conservator of Forests Narottam Majhi and police officers assured residents that compensation would be provided in accordance with government norms. The attack has renewed concerns over recurring human-elephant conflict in the Bishwanathpur forest range, where crop losses, property damage and fatal encounters have become frequent.
Residents said similar attacks in recent months have claimed lives and destroyed homes, underscoring the need for stronger mitigation measures and faster emergency response.