3 including a minor killed in elephant attacks across Odisha

Talcher/Bonai/Dhenkanal: Three persons including a seven-year-old child lost their lives and another was injured in separate elephant attacks in the State today.

An elderly man was trampled to death by a tusker in Deulabeda area of Talcher. The deceased identified as Kedar Nath Prasad was standing near his house when the tusker allegedly attacked and killed him on the spot.

Locals alleged that two tuskers strayed into Gurujang village near the Talcher town from Mahabiroad forest range on February 28 and damaged crops and houses in the area. It is believed that one of the two tuskers attacked Kedar Nath today.

After receiving information, forest and police personnel rushed to the spot and tried to drive away the tusker. The administration officials also reached the spot and handed over compensation cheque to the family of the victim.

In Dhenkanal, another elderly man was trampled by an elephant today. The deceased, Dayanidhi Sahu (65) was attacked by the pachyderm while he was on his way to village pond to take bath. Following this, locals blocked the National Highway-55 disrupting the vehicular movement. A woman also sustained grievous injuries after being attacked by an elephant in the locality.

Meanwhile in Sundergarh, a seven-year-old died after a wall collapsed when an elephant tried to enter a house in Baraghat village under Bonai forest range late last night.

Family sources said that the pachyderm tried to enter their house to eat paddy kept in the house during which a portion of the wall collapsed on the child who was fast asleep. The child was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him dead.

As per latest reports, a team of Forest personnel has reached the spot to launch an operation to drive away the elephant.