DHENKANAL: A 52-year-old man collapsed and died apparently due to heart attack after coming face-to-face with an elephant at Kumurisingha under Hindol forest range here on Monday night.
The deceased was identified as Purna Chandra Dehury of Kumurisingha village under Balimi police limits.
According to reports, a wild tusker entered Kumurisingha late on Tuesday night and created panic among villagers after allegedly damaging some houses.
On hearing commotion in the village, Purna rushed out of his house and came face-to-face with the elephant. He reportedly ran in fear and collapsed after covering some distance. Villagers rushed him to the Hindol sub-divisional hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Hindol ranger Trilochan Dehury said forest personnel had tracked the wild tusker entering the village and damaging some houses. He said Purna encountered the elephant and collapsed while fleeing. The ranger, however, ruled out any direct attack by the elephant. He said there was no report of the tusker attacking the man.
Hindol sub-divisional medical officer S Mishra said Purna was already dead when he was brought to the hospital late at night. His body was sent for postmortem. He declined to comment on the cause of death, saying it would be known after the postmortem report arrives.
Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar said an unnatural death case has been registered at Balimi police station in connection with the incident.
