Deogarh: A woman was trampled to death by a tusker at Aaunli village under Riamal forest range in Deogarh district, Sunday. The incident occurred when the deceased, identified as Kalabati Pradhan, 50, visited a cashew orchard to collect the fruits.
She was unaware of the presence of an elephant herd in the village. She came face to face with a tusker which picked her on its tusk, hurled her on the ground and trampled her to death. Her son grew apprehensive and searched for her after she failed to return home for long.
While searching, he spotted his mother lying dead from a distance but failed to go near the body due to presence of the herd. Later, the villagers recovered the body after driving away the elephant herd in the afternoon.
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The incident sparked tension in the area as locals blamed the negligence of forest personnel for the woman’s death. They relented after forest officials rushed to the spot and assured a job in the forest department to the next of kin of the deceased, ex-gratia, and financial assistance for post-death rituals.
PNN
