Man killed in elephant attack while collecting mushrooms

A man on Friday lost his life after being attacked by an elephant in Angul district, while collecting mushrooms in a forest. The incident occurred in Nuagaon village under the Chhendipada forest range on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as 55-year-old Subash Pradhan, a resident of the same village. According to local sources, Subash had gone to the nearby forest early in the morning to collect mushrooms, which is a common practice in the area. However, while he was inside the forest, a wild elephant came from nowhere and suddenly attacked him.

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Forest officials said that by the time fellow villagers rushed to the spot, Subash had already sustained severe injuries. He was immediately rescued and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the doctors, Subash succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead soon after admission.

The news of his death has cast a shadow of grief over Nuagaon village. Locals expressed deep concern over the rising cases of human-elephant conflict in Angul and neighbouring districts. They said that villagers often face threats while collecting firewood, mushrooms, or other forest produce.

Forest department officials have initiated an inquiry into the incident and assured that compensation will be provided to the victim’s family as per government norms. They also appealed to villagers to remain cautious and avoid venturing deep into the forest during elephant movement.

Human-elephant conflict has been a persistent issue in Odisha, with Angul, Dhenkanal, and Keonjhar districts reporting frequent incidents in recent years.