Berhampur: A farmer was trampled to death by a jumbo while he had gone to work in his farmland Sunday morning at Chintakhali village under Sanakhemundi block in Ganjam district.
The deceased has been identified as R Jhuria Patra.
According to sources, Jhuria as usual after breakfast went to work in his farmland. Meanwhile, he came across the pachyderm that had strayed into his farm in search of food.
The animal chased him and trampled him to death while he was trying to escape. Locals spotted the body and alerted the family members.
Jhuria’s death in the elephant attack triggered tension in the area as locals blocked Digapahandi- Aska main road demanding compensation for the kin of the deceased. Situation turned worse after some forest officials try to divert the incident by saying that it was not an elephant attack.
Angry locals warned to continue the protest, demanding compensation and action against the forest officials for not being able to keep track on the movement of elephants.
On being informed, cops and forest department officials reached the spot. However, the officials ruled the elephant attack and claimed that there was no movement of pachyderm in the area today.
Later, Patpur inspector-in-charge and other officials of the forest department reached the spot and held discussion with the irate locals to resolve the issue.
While the body has been sent for postmortem, the forest department officials claimed that Patra did not die in the elephant attack. Though elephants pass through the area, there was no movement of the animals today, they added.
However, villagers accused the officials of trying to suppress the matter. There were elephant footprints and injuries on Patra’s body, his family said.
PNN
