DEOGARH: A 48-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant in Budhakhaman village under the Thianal forest section of the Barkote range here on Friday. The deceased was identified as Dhabal Nayak of Budhakhaman.
Sources said Dhabal had gone to the nearby forest to collect mahua flowers in the morning. When he did not return home by noon, his family members got worried and searched for him. During search, they found his body in the forest.
On being informed, a forest team rushed to the spot for investigation. Forest officials confirmed that Dhabal was killed instantly after being trampled by the elephant.
Locals blamed the Forest department for Dhabal’s death. “Despite repeated incidents of elephant intrusion in the area, no effective steps have been taken by the Forest authorities to ensure our safety,” they alleged. The villagers demanded immediate measures to prevent further loss of life and compensation for Dhabal’s family.
On March 18, a woman was killed while her husband and children suffered injuries after being attacked by an elephant at Tileipasi village under Kundeigola forest section of Reamal range in the district.