ANGUL: A Tusker that killed 11 people in the last six months in three districts is yet to be nabbed. The 30-year-old tusker has wreaked havoc in four forest divisions of Angul, Athmallick, Rairakhol and Deogarh spreading over districts of Angul, Deogarh and Sambalpur.
After hue and cry in the aftermath of the killings, an expert team tried to tranquillise the elephant on September 23. But, the exercise was stopped after the tusker sneaked into Rairakhol part of the forest. The animal is now moving in Kandheigola area of Deogarh forest division and may sneak into Chhendipada range of Angul division.
“We have tracked the animal in Deogarh forest after it entered Rairakhol. It is currently in the bordering area of Angul forest,” said range officer of Chhendipda, Durga Charan Sahu.
On September 22, the animal killed a villager, Digambar Sahu in Bhalugadia village under Chhendipda range.
Sahu was going to his paddy field when the elephant attacked him.
Three other villagers had died under similar circumstances in the same forest range. This apart, there were two deaths in Durgapur range, as many in Rairakhol and Deogarh ranges and one death each in Handapa and Bamur forest ranges in the last six months.
Forest officials said the tusker is roaming alone in the forests for the last two years and is on a killing spree. However, there has been no attempt by the Angul Divisional Forest authorities to nab the tusker despite public outcry over human deaths.
Regional Chief Conservator of Forest Sudarshan Panda said there will be another attempt by the expert team to tame the animal. He said the department has planned to cut his tusks after taming the elephant to bring down his violent behaviour and may also opt for putting a radio collar on his neck to monitor his movement more efficiently.