Post News Network
Khallikote, Sept 27: A female elephant was killed after it was hit by a speeding pick-up van at Dimiria Square near Badaghat on National Highway-16 here in Ganjam district Saturday night.
One of the three persons travelling in the van died on the spot while two others were rendered critical as the vehicle overturned after hitting the pachyderm.
The deceased was identified as Pandav Palei (35), a prawn trader of Sanakhatiapalli under Krushnaprasad block in Puri district. The injured were Amin Jena of Tichhani and Prakash Biswal of Mardarajpur under the same block.
Police and forest department officials rushed to the spot and admitted the victims to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared Pandav dead on arrival.
According to sources, the mishap occurred when the pachyderm was crossing the highway with other members of its herd.
The three traders had come to Balugaon to dispose of their stocks.
They were returning home with ice laden on their vehicle when they stumbled upon the herd crossing the road. As the vehicle was at a great speed the driver couldn’t control it and the van dashed against the elephant. The vehicle then overturned under the impact of the collision.
Forest officials while rescuing the travelers searched for the dead elephant but failed to trace it. Sunday morning, the jumbo carcass was found lying in a bush near a nullah.
A post-mortem was conducted on the carcass before burying it in the nearby forest. Khallikote police registered a case and sent the body of the deceased for post-mortem.
Locals claimed the dead jumbo is part of an eight member herd from nearby Karakhole forest. The herd, comprising a tusker, four females and three calves, had unleashed a reign of terror in the area.
The pachyderms were regularly straying into Pana Nugaon village at night and destroying paddy crops. Forest officials camping in the area had driven them away many times.
The herd was on its way to Kanaka jungle when the mishap occurred. Earlier, seven elephants have died in the area for various reasons.
