Tusker kills sleeping old man in Odisha

A 70-year-old person was killed by a  tusker in Sundargarh district of Odisha around midnight on Friday. After conducting a post-mortem of  the deceased on Friday morning, Sundargarh Forest  officials  have handed over his body to  his family members.

Sources said the man, identified as Sistoria Kindo (70), a resident of Tiria under Talsara police station of  Sundargarh, had come to meet his relative, who reside inside  Kudei  Reserve Forest at Thulapani under Sundargarh Forest Range on  Thursday night.

Sistoria decided to spend the night in the house of his relative. He, along with the owner of the house, slept outside his  relative’s house. At around 11 pm, a tusker came towards Sistoria and held him in his trunk and threw him, Sistoria was critically injured in this sudden attack.

His relative, who was sleeping by his side, rushed inside his house and narrowly escaped. After throwing Sistoria, the tusker went inside the forest.

After getting information, forest officials rushed to the spot and took Sistoria to Sabdega hospital at  Sundargarh. But when he reached the  hospital, doctors  declared him brought dead  at around 3 am on Friday.

On Friday morning, Sundargarh Forest officials conducted post-mortem on  his body and handed it over to his family members.

“We have given his family Rs.5000/- towards his funeral expenses. As per norms, after the necessary formalities, his family members will be provided rest Rs.2,95,000/- towards compensation,” said  Arjun Behera, DFO, Sundargarh Forest Division.