Farmer killed in elephant attack in Ganjam

Ganjam: A farmer died after allegedly being trampled to death by a wild elephant at Chintakhali village under Sanakhemundi block in Ganjam district today.The deceased, identified as R Jhuria Patra, had gone to his farmland in the morning when an elephant attacked him.

Tension prevailed in the area as locals blocked Digapahandi- Aska main road after forest department officials denied that Patra died in the elephant attack. The locals were demanding adequate compensation for the kin of the deceased.

“There were elephant footprints at the spot. We want compensation,” demanded the deceased farmer’s relative, R Kuresh Patra.

The road blockade was cleared after the intervention of Patpur police station IIC and senior officials of the forest department.

“The officials assured adequate compensation after receiving the post-mortem reports of Patra,” informed Prashant Kumar Maharana, a representative of Sarpanch of Chudangapur panchayat.

Though the forest department officials accepted that elephants pass through the area, there was no movement of animals today, Maharana added.