ROURKELA: With the onset of crop harvesting season, elephant menace has returned to the interior and bordering pockets of Sundargarh district, giving sleepless nights to the rural population.
Lured by the ripened crops, elephants are increasingly straying into human habitations to raid agriculture fields, leading to loss of precious lives in the process.
On October 15 night, one Francis Kujur (51) of Fikruchandi village was reportedly trampled to death by an elephant near his farm field in Lathikata block under Kuanrmunda range of Rourkela forest division. His body was found the next morning. Similarly, Chaho Ekka (62) was killed in elephant attack at Goilo village of Badadalki panchayat in the same forest range on October 14 night.
Kuanrmunda deputy range officer PN Saraf cautioned villagers to stay alert and said the Forest department is taking all possible measures to prevent incidents of elephant depredation.
Sources said two elephant herds were also spotted near Buchahunda and Jamberia villages under Jarakudar panchayat in Kuanrmunda range.
On October 17, a resident of Shradhapali village under Ujjalpur range of Sundargarh forest division was critically injured after being attacked by a tusker. Villagers said for the past couple of days, the tusker was frequently entering Shradhapali and Kadelmunda villages, sparking panic in the region.
Earlier on October 7, one Anand Prakash Kharia (56) was trampled to death by a wild elephant in a field near Sukura village under Bisra range of Rourkela forest division.
Villagers of Bisra alleged that they are living in perennial fear due to frequent intrusion of elephants. Incidents of elephant depredation are gradually on the rise with ripening of standing crops, they said.
Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Singh said wild elephants have started entering villages even during the daytime, a pattern never seen before. He said villages contiguous to forests are the most vulnerable and urged the Forest department to put in place necessary arrangements to prevent loss of human lives in elephant attacks.
