Another person dies in elephant attack in Odisha; forest dept slammed for 'apathy'

The ever-increasing deaths of people following attacks by elephants have once again raised serious concerns. In yet another instance of man-animal conflict in Odisha, a person reportedly died after being attacked by an elephant at Patamunda village under the Koida forest range in Sundargarh district.

The deceased has been identified as Sama Munda, 50, of Harchanda Sahi in Patamunda Village.

The Munda family was asleep when a tusker strayed into the village late Thursday night. In search of food, the pachyderm dashed their thatched hut to the ground. In a bid to save their lives, everyone ran helter-skelter.

Unfortunately, the tusker caught hold of Sama and attacked him. The wild animal first lifted Sama to the air with its tusk and dashed him to the ground and then trampled him to death. The furious tusker then damaged a couple of houses before the villagers woke up and drove it away into the wild.

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On being informed, forest officials reached the village and launched a probe. The body was seized and sent for autopsy to Koida Community Health Centre (CHC). The incident spread outrage among the locals who demanded compensation for the kin of the deceased.

With the forest department failing to keep track of the movements of tuskers, there has been a substantial rise in the number of deaths due to elephant attacks.

“Despite repeated deaths, the forest department is least bothered. The anger is palpable among people and it has been a long-brewing one that may someday tick like a bomb,” said an angry local.