Patana: A 34-year-old man was killed in an elephant attack in a reserved forest in Kendujhar district Friday. The deceased was identified as Kunaram Sardar, son of Anadi Sardar, of Jamunapashi village under Patana block.
According to forest officials, Kunarama had gone to see a herd of 26 elephants in the reserved sal and eucalyptus forest in Padmapur under the Jamunapashi beat of the Khireitangiri section in Patana forest range. He reportedly encountered two elephants, which attacked and threw him to the ground, killing him on the spot.
Forest department personnel rescued him and took him to the District Headquarters Hospital in Kendujhar. Ten forest personnel, including Khireitangiri forester Purnachandra Mohanta, guards, para-staff and elephant trackers, were deployed at the site.
Patana range officer Artatrana Mirdha said the incident occurred because the youth went too close to the elephants. The Forest depart ment is closely monitoring the herd’s movements and has advised people living near the forest to remain alert.