70-year-old man trampled to death by elephants

A 70-year-old man was trampled to death by a herd of elephants today at Dhepapalli village in Ganjam district, about 80-km from here, officials said.
The victim Kasi Nath Patra came face-to-face with the wild elephants when the herd was passing through a stretch under Sorada forest range, said Divisional Forest Officer, Ghumusar South R K Mallick.
Patra was going to catch a bus to go Sorada when he was trampled by the pachyderms, the sources said.
The herd also damaged crops in the area while passing through agriculture field.
The DFO said the kin of the deceased would be compensated Rs 3 lakh as per the government policy after getting the post-mortem report.

This was the third death in the district caused by the elephants in last fortnight. Two persons had died when a wild tusker had trampled them at Dolaba, near Digapahandi, about 40-km from here on March 4.

DFO said the herd of 9 elephants were moving in Sorada jungles in search of food and water. The herd might have migrated from Lakhari Valley elephant reserve to the area in search of food, added forest range officer, Sorada K C Sahu.
A ten-member squad was deployed in the area along with other forest staffs to track the movement of the animals. The forest officials have also created awareness asking people not to venture into the jungle when jumbos are around.

"We have intimated the local people about the movement of the elephants as a precaution," the range officer said.