In a yet another elephant attack, a 55-year-old person was trampled to death by an elephant herd in Gopapur village here in wee hours on Wednesday. The body was sent for autopsy, while victim’s kin were paid Rs 10,000 for performing the last rituals.
Sources said an 11-member elephant herd has been spreading panic in Nuagaon block area of the district for last few days. The forest officials of Rourkela forest division are on a special drive to chase away the tuskers since Tuesday night. At about 3.30 am on Wednesday, when the elephant herd was crossing Gopapur area, they met the victim and an angry member of the pachyderm herd crushed him under its feet, killing him on the spot. The deceased was identified as Daud lunga. Following the death of the villager, tension prevailed on the spot.
The forest officials, however, intervened in the matter and assured of all supports to the bereaved family
members. “Besides assurance of compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family of the victim, we paid Rs 10,000 to them towards cremation expenses,” said Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Khyama Sarangi. He added that a team of forest officials had been keeping a close watch on the movement of the elephant herd by camping on the Ranakata hill.