A man was trampled to death by elephants in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Saturday. The incident took place at Belatuni village under the Mujagada forest range of the North Ghumsar forest division. The deceased has been identified as Bikram Nayak.

According to sources, two elephants reportedly entered the village at night, pulled Bikram out of his house, and trampled him to death. Forest officials reached the spot soon after the incident, recovered the body, and began an investigation.

Elephant Menace in North Ghumsar Region

As per reports, local residents have expressed growing concern as incidents of elephant intrusion continue in the Mujagada forest area. For the past several days, elephants have been entering nearby villages, damaging crops, and breaking houses. The forest department has been monitoring the situation and urging villagers to stay alert, especially during night hours.

Large Elephant Herd Sighted in Keonjhar

In a separate development, a herd of 29 elephants was spotted on a road near Champua in Keonjhar district. The herd is said to have returned to the Champua range from Karanjia in Mayurbhanj. Officials reported that the elephants crossed the Baitarani River and entered the forest through Padmapur village.

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The herd consists of 12 female elephants, 10 tuskers, and 7 calves. One calf is reportedly injured. Two weeks earlier, the same group had moved from Champua to the Karanjia range.

Forest Department Issues Advisory

Forest department officials are keeping a close watch on the movement of the herd and have been conducting awareness campaigns in nearby areas. Locals are being advised not to approach elephants under any circumstances to prevent accidents or casualties.