BERHAMPUR: A 65-year-old man of Pidasubali village under G Udayagiri block in Kandhamal district was critically injured after being attacked by a tusker on Thursday.
The victim, Eduad Nayak was en route to a hill near the village when the tusker lifted him by its trunk and threw him at a distance. A few women present nearby raised an alarm following which Nayak was rescued by the villagers and admitted to G Udayagiri hospital. He was later shifted to the district headquarters hospital at Phulbani. Along with deep cuts on his body, Nayak got his legs fractured in the incident.
A herd of 25 elephants including 2 tuskers reportedly from North Ghumusur in Ganjam have been wreaking havoc in several villages of the block since May. Apart from destroying plantations, the herd had attacked a youth of Retudi village.
Owing to frantic efforts by forest personnel, the herd was chased back to Gumusur. But the two tuskers got separated from the herd and stayed back in G Udayagiri. On Wednesday, the tuskers had damaged a house near Kalinga ghat. Forest staff have been deployed in the area and are keeping a close watch on the movement of the tuskers, said forest officials adding assessment of losses would be carried out soon to compensate the villagers.