Bhubaneswar: A wild elephant trampled a 55-year-old man to death in broad daylight on Friday morning in Sambalpur district sparking protests against forest officials over alleged negligence.
The victim, Bipin Behera, was grazing his goats in his farmland near Badakuda village when a lone tusker attacked him around 11 am. The incident occurred under Badbahal forest range, where elephants had been spotted since Thursday evening.
Angry villagers gathered at the site following the incident, accusing the forest department of failing to monitor elephant movements effectively. “The forest department has ignored our safety despite repeated complaints about increasing elephant activity,” said Kartik Behera, a local resident.
Responding to the allegations, Badbahal range officer Prajnya Paramita Deep defended her staff, stating they maintain round-the-clock vigilance. “The incident was unfortunate. The tusker, which came from Athmallick forest, attacked suddenly. The victim reportedly had hearing issues,” she said.
The forest department has assured the victim’s family of Rs 6,00,000 in govt compensation following the completion of postmortem and investigation procedures. An additional Rs 10,000 will be provided immediately from the Red Cross fund.