BARIPADA: Panic gripped residents of Betnoti, Deuli and Rasgovindpur areas in Mayurbhanj district after two persons were killed and three others sustained injuries in elephant attacks in three separate places on Tuesday.
The deceased are Sakra Hembram (59) of Uludihi village under Rasgovindpur range and Raghunath Hembram (55) of Sunpuria village under Deuli range.
The injured Sanga Mohanta of Uludihi, Sarbeswar Mohanta of Tadki village and Ruchika Soren of Pokharia village have been admitted to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital at Baripada. Their condition is stated to be critical.
Sarkar Hembram, son of Sakra said, a tusker grievously injured his mother when she was sweeping the verandah of their house. She was immediately rushed to Kishantandi hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead.
However, Raghunath was trampled by a tusker when he had slept on verandah of his house last night. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital.
Locals said, Sanga faced the attack when he had gone to a robber forest to collect mushroom in Astia village under Betnoti forest range.
Forest ranger of Rasgovindpur Ghanashyam Singh said altogether 50 elephants in two herds are roaming around the range creating havoc in the nearby areas. While a herd of 28 elephants had entered the range from West Bengal a few months back, another herd of 22 elephants entered the range from Betnoti last night, he said.
Singh said local police along with forest personnel have visited the family members of the deceased persons. As per government norm, the ex-gratia will be provided to them after some official formalities. The forest officials have alerted the villagers not to venture to forest for collection of dry leaf and mushroom.