Tusker kills 4 people in three days in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj

A lone tusker, separated from its herd, has been going on a rampage and trampled at least four people to death in the last three days in villages under Betanoti police limits in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. The latest victim is a woman who was trampled to death in her sleep at Radhikasol village.

The deceased woman has been identified as Manaka Hansda. The woman was sleeping inside her house when the tusker entered into the village and wreaked havoc. The pachyderm damaged at least four houses before trampling Manaka to death in her sleep. Her husband Sitanath who was sleeping next to her had a close shave and ran out of the house.

The incident spread outrage in the village with locals blaming the forest department officials for failing to check the movement of the tusker.

On Thursday morning, forest personnel seized the woman’s body and sent it for autopsy to Baripada District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). At least four people have lost their lives in the last three days, but the forest department has miserably failed to drive away the wild tusker.

Similarly, another tusker has been wreaking havoc in Bonai forest range of Sundargarh district, giving sleepless nights to villagers. The tusker has been moving around, spreading terror in the region.

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Efforts are on to drive the tusker back into the woods to reunite with its herd, but to no avail.