ANGUL: An elderly woman was trampled to death by an elephant near Khairabereni village under Chhendipada forest range on Sunday. She was identified as 64-year-old Saila Dehury of Khairabereni. Ranger Pratap Roul said Dehury and two other women had gone to the nearby forest to collect mangoes at around 4 am. Inside the forest, they came across a herd of elephants. Panicked, the three women started running but Dehury fell down and was attacked by a tusker. She died instantly.
Roul said a team of forest personnel was following the herd. On being informed about the incident, they rushed to the spot and found the woman dead. As news of the woman’s death spread, tension flared up in the village. Blaming the forest officials for the death, villagers said the elephant herd has been causing havoc in the area for the last several days. However, the Forest department is yet to drive away from the herd from the area, they alleged.
Later, the ranger went to Khairabereni and held a discussion with the irate villagers. “The herd has been moving in Chhendipada and Deogarh areas for the last several months and destroying the property of the villagers. We are making concerted efforts to drive the elephants away from the area,” Roul said. The Forest department will provide compensation to Dehury’s family as per the government guidelines, the Ranger added.