The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Wild tuskers go on rampage, kill 2

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 10, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Other States

Other States - Orissa

Wild tuskers go on rampage, kill 2

Staff Reporter

Pachyderms damage 25 houses at Murudipanga

A team of forest officials rush to the village in Kandhamal district
Efforts are on to drive away the herd of elephants from village

BERHAMPUR: A herd of wild elephants killed two persons, including a woman, at Murudipanga village under Raikia police station area in Kandhamal district on Thursday night.

The herd with around 12 pachyderms had entered the village late night.

The herd had also destroyed the agricultural fields near the village. The villagers ran out of their homes to escape from wild tuskers. However, a man and a woman were rounded up by the elephant herd. They were trampled to death.

The victims were identified as Salman Digal and a woman Rajkumari Pradhan. Elephants destroyed 25 houses at the village.

Getting information about the incident a team of forest and police officials rushed to the spot. According to Raikia range officer of the forest department D.D. Singh, they are now making efforts to drive away the wild herd from the proximity of human habitats.

This elephant herd is continuing to terrorise humans in the Raikia forest range of Phulbani forest division for the past few weeks.

The elephant herd has strayed out of the jungles near Daringbadi of Phulbani forest division.

In recent past the herd of elephants had also damaged villages like Rudabali and Latadi.

But at the Latadi village the elephant herd had saved the life of an aged woman, Sapari Pradhan. They had taken the unconscious woman to her home and tried to keep her alive till the villagers and forest officials came to the Latadi village.

But the same elephant herd turned violent and killed two persons at Murudipanga village.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States