TV
Tusker terror resurfaced in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district on Sunday, leaving an elderly woman critically injured. The incident occurred in the Jiral forest section, where a wild elephant attacked 65-year-old Rajani Rout of Koiranali village during her early morning walk.
According to reports, Rajani had stepped out of her house early in the morning when she came face-to-face with the elephant. The tusker reportedly grabbed and flung her to the ground, inflicting severe injuries.
Locals Rush to the Rescue
Fortunately, local residents who were nearby intervened quickly and managed to rescue her from the elephant’s grasp. On being alerted, the Forest Department reached the site and shifted the critically injured woman to Jiralo Medical Centre for treatment.
Panic Spreads After Long Period of Calm
The incident has sparked widespread fear among residents in the area, who had not witnessed such elephant activity for a long time. The return of tusker threats has now raised serious concerns in the local community.
Odisha Sees India’s Highest Human-Elephant Conflict
2,103 Elephants, 668 Human Deaths in Three Years
According to the All-India Elephant Census, Odisha recorded an elephant population of 2,103 as of winter 2024. In the State Assembly, Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia revealed that 668 people have died and 509 have been injured due to elephant attacks in the past three years, marking the highest human-elephant conflict figures in the country.
Widespread Damage to Homes and Crops
The scale of damage goes beyond loss of life. In 2022–23 alone, 149 people died in elephant-related incidents. Additionally, elephant herds destroyed over 73,620 acres of crops and damaged 10,259 houses across Odisha, exacerbating the crisis for both rural communities and forest officials.
