Kaniha/Chhendipada: Two persons including a woman were killed in separate incidents by a tusker on the fringes of Kaniha and Chhendipada blocks under Kaniha forest range in Angul district in the wee hours of Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Ahalya Sahu (35) at Changudia village under Kaniha block and a physically challenged youth Bhisma Majhi alias Babul of Changudia village under Chhendipada block.
Ahalya had gone to relieve herself near the jungle about 200 mtrs away from her house where she came face to face with the tusker. The animal trampled her to death. Similarly, Bhisma had gone to answer nature’s call when tusker battered him to death.
The twin incidents taking place within one km radius of both the villages has triggered panic among the residents. The killer tusker has unleashed a reign of terror in the area by claiming over 35 lives.
Kanhia and Chhendipada police registered two cases and sent the bodies for post-mortem.
The incidents sparked tension in the area as residents took to the streets and staged a road blockade demanding compensation for the bereaved families and service to the next of the kin of the deceased.
The agitators were further incensed when the police and forest personnel reached the spot late.
SDPO Jashobant Samal, Kaniha IIC Samir Panda, his Chhendipada counterpart Subhas Sahu, additional tehsildar Binod Bihari Behera, ACF Susant Kumar Behera and Chhendipada ranger Durga Charan Sahu tried hard to placate the agitators, but in vain.
They refused to relent and demanded Kaniha ranger Jatindra Behera to come to the spot. The ranger arrived at the spot sought an apology from the protesters following which the situation became normal.
They forest officials assured Rs 3 lakh compensation each to the bereaved families, Rs 20,000 for cremations from the District Red Cross Fund and forest development fund, post-mortem at government expenses and steps to drive away the killer tusker from the region within a month.
The officials also assured jobs to the next of the kin of the deceased and 20 persons from both villages in the forest department.
Kaniha forest is spread over Kaniha and Chhendipda blocks where the villages both named Changudia are situated close to the forest. PNN