Keonjhar: A 45-year-old tribal man was trampled to death by a tusker in Odisha’s Keonjhar district in the early hours of Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Ratha Munda of Ravensapur village under Champua Sub-division in the district.
According to sources, the incident took place when Ratha has gone outside his house to answer nature’s call. Hearing him scream, villagers rushed to the spot and drove the elephant away, but could not save him.
On being informed, officials of Champua forest range and local police reached the village and initiated a probe. The body has been sent to Champua sub-divisional hospital for postmortem.
“Elephant menace is a regular problem in this locality. Since our village Ravensapur comes under Bali Bandh section of Champua forest range, wild jumbos often damage our crops, pull down houses and attack people. Our repeated pleas to forest staff have fallen on deaf ears,” a villager said.
Another villager added that they was a herd of more than 30 elephants in the nearby forests. “Perhaps the tusker got separated from the group and attacked Ratha,” he added.
