SAMBALPUR/DHENKANAL: Three persons were trampled to death by jumbos in separate incidents in Sambalpur and Dhenkanal on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the first incident, a 57-year-old man was killed by an elephant at Kansar Panchayat in Jujumura block under the Sambalpur forest division of the district on Wednesday.
The deceased identified as Gopal Pradhan, is the husband of the Jujumura sarpanch, Basanti Pradhan. Gopal who runs a roadside dhaba in the Kansar area was sleeping outside the eatery when the elephant attacked him at about 2.30 am, killing him on the spot. Forest department officials rushed to the spot and launched an investigation into the incident. Gopal’s body was sent for autopsy.
In another incident at village Bhaliatikra Budikhamar under Charmal police station in the Rairakhol forest division area in the district, a 60-year-old man was trampled to death by another elephant. The incident took place when the deceased identified as Ranka Bhuyan had gone to collect mangoes in the forest near his village on Tuesday. Forest officials rushed to the spot and seized Bhuyan’s body.
Similarly in Dhenkanal, a 72-year-old woman Indumati Sahoo of village Kantamila under the Hindol forest range was killed by an elephant on Tuesday night. A seriously injured Indumati was rushed to Hindol Hospital and then to Angul DHH where she succumbed.
Hindol ranger LK Ratha said on Tuesday night a herd of elephants entered Kantamila and the villagers including Indumati came out of their home to see it. Before she realised that she was face to face with a tusker, she was attacked. “The department will pay the family an ex-gratia of Rs 6 lahks,” Ratha added.