CUTTACK: In yet another incident of man-elephant conflict, a 58-year-old woman was trampled to death by a jumbo in a cashew orchard near Biriragadi hillock under Badamba forest range in Athagarh on Tuesday.
The deceased, Manju Senapati of Abhimanpur within Maniabandh police limits had gone to the orchard to collect firewood along with two other women when they came face-to-face with the tusker. While the two others managed to escape, the jumbo reportedly picked Senapati with its trunk further throwing her on the ground and trampling her to death.
As the news of Senapati’s death spread, locals staged road blockade demanding compensation to her family. The stir was later called off after forest officials paid the deceased’s kin with Rs 60,000 compensation.
Notably, a herd of 16 elephants from Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife sanctuary are roaming in the human settlements nearby creating panic among residents of Banki and Badamda areas. On Monday night, the elephant herd was spotted roaming on the road near Bhagipur in Banki following which communication on the passage was halted for over an hour. Later forest officials reached the spot and chased the pachyderms away.