Wild elephant kills old man in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Rourkela, Aug 29:

A 65-year-old man was trampled to death by a wild elephant while he was collecting firewood in a forest near Bisra in Odisha’s Sundargarh district today.

The victim has been identified as Joseph Toppo. He was collecting firewood inside the Subdega forest near Jharkhand border when he was attacked by a herd of jumbos, said Sanjit Kumar, DFO Rourkela Forest Range.

Forest department officials said, after receiving information the local villagers drove away the herd and recovered Joseph’s body.

Kumar said a herd of over 15 elephants has been staying near Bisra on the Odisha-Jharkhand border for the last couple of weeks and is moving to and fro between the two states.

He said the herd, which was chased away earlier, had returned to the same area last night.

He said a sum of Rs 10,000 has been given to the family of the deceased as an initial amount but the compensation will be paid after due completion of required formalities.

The DFO informed that another herd of 15 elephants have destroyed over 20 houses inside the Kuanrmunda forest area.