Man trampled to death by elephant

Dhenkanal: A 70-year-old man was trampled to death by wild elephants at a village in Dhenkanal district on Sunday, forest officials said.

The victim, identified as Birabara Parida of Rasasing village, was trampled when a herd of jumbos were passing through the area, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Pradipta Sahu said.

Earlier in the morning, a male elephant calf was found dead in village Baulapur near Brahamani river, 20 kms from here. Forest officials suspect the calf, aged around two years, might have been killed during fight within the herd of elephants.

The death of Parida in jumbo attack, second such incident within one week, triggered protest by locals who staged a road blockade and damaged a jeep belonging to forest department, sources said.

On December 28, Hemant Boral (50), a farmer of Rasasingh under Dhenkanal Sadar forest range, was trampled to death by a wild elephant, they said.