Tusker kills man in Odisha’s Angul, second fatal elephant attack in 48 hours

A wild tusker reportedly trampled a man to death in Angul district early Thursday, marking the second fatal elephant attack in the district within two days. The latest incident occurred at Guranga village near Badakera under the Angul Range of the Angul forest division.

Sources reported that the victim was attacked during the early morning hours when dense fog severely reduced visibility across the area. The poor visibility is believed to have contributed to the encounter, as the man was moving around the locality when the tusker charged and trampled him.

Forest personnel rushed to the spot after receiving information and began efforts to establish the identity of the deceased. Officials said the man was reportedly suffering from mental health issues and had been wandering in the area at the time of the incident. The body was recovered from the site, and further procedural formalities were initiated.

Second Death In 48 Hours

The incident came barely a day after a woman was killed in an elephant attack in the Bantala Range of the same forest division. On Wednesday, a tusker attacked and killed a woman at Sunabhui Sahi under Bantala panchayat, triggering protests by local residents.

According to earlier reports, the woman was attacked while fetching water from a tube well near her house. She died on the spot after sustaining critical injuries. Following the incident, tension gripped the area as residents alleged repeated elephant intrusions into human settlements and a lack of effective preventive measures.

Also Read: 2 wild elephants wreck houses, damage produce in Odisha's Keonjhar

Protests Over Forest Department Response

Anger over the recurring attacks spilled onto the streets on Wednesday, with villagers staging road blockades at Bantala Chhak. Protesters burned tyres and blocked vehicular movement on the Angul–Tikarpada road and the old Cuttack–Sambalpur highway for several hours, disrupting traffic.

Local residents accused the Forest Department of negligence and demanded immediate compensation for the victim’s family, along with concrete steps to prevent further incidents. Forest officials had then assured protesters that monitoring would be intensified in elephant-prone corridors.