Choudwar: Elderly Man Trampled To Death By Elephants, Locals Demand Compensation

Choudwar: Jumbo menace continues to haunt residents in several parts of Odisha with the death of an elderly man in elephant attack being reported from Kujibara village in Agrahat gram panchayat in Cuttack district on Friday.

The deceased has been identified as Ratnakar Behera.

According to reports, Behera had gone to cut paddy crops in his farmland in the wee hours when he encountered some elephants. The elephant herd that had ventured into the human habitats in search of food chased and trampled him to death.

Meanwhile, resentment is brewing among the locals over the alleged callous attitude of the forest department in driving away the elephants from the area. They staged a protest where the elderly man was killed and demanded adequate compensation for his family.

Earlier this week, villagers in Binika block who are spending sleepless nights as a herd of 60 elephants continues to terrorise the area for the last 17 days,  had alleged apathy of forest officials towards their plight.

They had demanded compensation from the department for the losses they have suffered due to the wild elephant menace.

According to sources, life of villagers in Bankighiradi, Sarangpali, Kukudajhuli, Balaranga, Sarguna and Manigaon villages have been on the edge as the marauding pachyderms have reportedly caused large-scale crop destruction in the areas. The rampaging wild animals have also destroyed vegetable farming on several acres of land.

(Edited by Ramakant Biswas)

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