NUAPADA:LATI Pandey (62) of Bhainsmudi village under Nuapada police limits was crushed to death by a herd of elephants during the wee hours of Monday. The incident took place when Pandey had gone to the village tank. Sarpanch of Sarabang gram panchayat Bharat Lal Rout said the herd comprising seven elephants and three calves had strayed into the village from Chhattisgarh. However, after the incident, the herd has moved to Haldi forest, he added.
Divisional Forest Officer (Territorial), Khariar, Gadadhar Patra said forest personnel have been deployed at the Haldi Reserve Forest and efforts are on to direct the elephants back to their habitat in Chhattisgarh. The DFO, who called on the family of the deceased, said they will receive compensation of `3 lakhs as per the guidelines of the State Government. The family of the deceased had received `10,000 from the Red Cross, while the gram panchayat had given them `2000 under Harischandra Yojana for cremation.