Bargarh/Jharbandh: A panchayat representative was trampled to death by an elephant while guarding his harvested crop at his paddy yard at Bondamunda under Jharbandh block in Bargarh district late Monday night.
The deceased was identified as Dhubaram Nag, a farmer and a samiti member of Kandadangar panchayat in the block. A labourer who was with him had a close shave.
The incident occurred when Nag was asleep along with the labourer in a thatched shed inside the paddy yard. An elephant strayed and trampled Nag to death.
The labourer ran back to the village and raised an alarm.
Block chairperson Bijay Ketan Pradhan, samiti member Narendra Pradhan, former block chairperson Keshav Sahu, Jharbandh IIC Tarun Kumar Kerketta and forest officials reached the spot Tuesday and took stock of the situation. Nag is survived by his wife and two sons.
The incident has sparked panic among the villagers who urged the forest officials to drive away the pachyderms from the area. Elephants have been causing significant damage to crops in the area.
This is the third casualty of man-elephant conflict in the state in the last four days.
A farmer was trampled to death by wild elephants at Modipara under Rajgangpur forest division in Sundargarh district Monday morning.
Similarly, an elephant had trampled a 60-year-old man to death near Lingarakata under Talcher block in Angul district Saturday night, according to reports.
PNN
