Dhenkanal: Panic gripped Gahamakhunti village under Dhenkanal Sadar Range in the district as a man was trampled to death by a wild elephant late Tuesday night.
The deceased has been identified as one Ramesh Sahu.
According to reports, Sahu came face to face with the strayed pachyderm unexpectedly while he was keeping a watch on his vegetable garden. The jumbo trampled him to death after he fell down while trying to run for his life.
On being informed, forest department officials reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem.
Locals demanded compensation for the family members of the deceased. They also urged the forest department officials for the tranquilisation of the tusker.
Jumbo menace continues to haunt residents of Dhenkanal district as another man had been trampled to death by an elephant under Hindol forest range in the district a day earlier. The deceased had been identified as Niranjan Sahu. He had gone to a farmland when the wild animal attacked him.
Earlier before three months, a herd of around 23 elephants had strayed into Sogar village under Anlabereni forest section in the district and wreaked havoc in the area. The jumbos had damaged hundreds of acres of paddy crop along the Brahmani River.
(Edited by Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)