Man killed in elephant attack

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Kamakhyanagar, Apr 18:

One Athani Sahoo, a 61-year-old man of Dehuryhata village under Mahabiroda Forest range in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district was today killed after he was attacked by wild elephants, said sources in the Forest department.

Athani, a shepherd had gone to the nearby forest with his goats early in the morning but did not return home at noon, as was his daily routine. Concerned fellow villagers and his relatives searched for him in the forest where they found his body with tell-tale signs of being crushed to death by an elephant, said sources.

Range Officer (in-charge) Mahabirodi Forest Range, Hemant Kumar Panda told OST over phone that preliminary investigation suggests Athani who was grazing goats in the nearby hilltop forest saw some elephants and started running out of fear, thus provoking the herd to chase him and crush him to death.

He said a herd of 10-12 elephants are camping in the forest near the village.

Panda said an inquiry was being conducted and Athani’s family will be compensated for his death as per Forest department norms.