2nd March 2019

Wild elephants spread panic across three villages in Odisha Friday night and Saturday morning, killing three persons including a 7-year-old child and injuring another, pushing the toll of human casualties in man-animal conflict to an all-time high of 85, officials said.

In 2017-18, 84 people were killed by elephants.

In Dhenkanal district, the ground-zero of man-elephant conflict, a 65-year-old man was trampled by an elephant while going to village pond for a bath. Dayanidhi Sahu was attacked by an elephant and died on the sport, said Dhenkanal divisional forest officer Sudarshan Patra. Angry locals later staged a road blockade on National Highway 55 near the village demanding compensation for family members of the deceased.

In Deulabeda area of neighbouring Angul district, 80-year-old Kedar Nath Prasad was going to a shop when a tusker allegedly attacked and trampled him to death on the spot. Locals alleged that two tuskers had strayed into the area from Mahabiroad forest range on February 28, one of which attacked Kedar Nath. 

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