BARIPADA: A herd of five elephants went on the rampage in Bijatala block of Mayurbhanj district in the last two days and destroyed 12 houses and a primary school. The elephants also ate up paddy stored in houses of some of the victims.
The forest officials of Rairangpur territorial division and villagers of Madheikacha, Kaduani and Khejuri have been spending sleepless nights due to the movement of the elephants. At least nine houses in Kaduani village, three in Khejuri and some orchards in Madheikacha village have been damaged by the marauding herd. The elephants sneaked into the villages from Similipal forest in search of food.
As per report, the houses of Sambari Murmu, Singho Murmu, Chaitan Murmu, Sudarshan Dehuri, Hari Dehuri, Baitha Dehuri, Hira Dehuri and Ata Munda of Kaduani village and Dukha Murmu, Maha Hembram and Dhandu Hembram and the primary school of Kaduani village under the forest division were damaged by the elephants.
Sudarshan, a victim, said the herd damaged a portion of his house and ate away the paddy stored in a room. “Fortunately, the family members were asleep in other rooms and narrowly escaped the attack from the elephants,” he added.
The elephants herd ate up the paddy stored in two bags inside the room and then moved towards Khejuri village where they damaged the primary school and a few houses, Sudarshan said. The affected villagers demanded compensation to repair their damaged houses.Forest official said steps have been taken to drive away the elephants from the area and sought cooperation from the villagers.
Man killed by tusker
Dhenkanal: A 60-year-old man of Jaka village in Kamakshyanagar of the district was killed by an elephant on Sunday. The elderly man, identified as Gadadhar Moharana, was going to Kusumjodi village on a bicycle when he was attacked by a tusker. Moharana died on the spot. Later, locals blocked Dhenkanal-Kamakshyanagar road at Khatuahota and disrupted traffic for three hours demanding compensation. They also demanded measures to prevent elephants from sneaking into the villages. Meanwhile, Forest department has released financial assistance of `40,000 to the victim’s family.