Bhubaneswar: A 40-year-old man was trampled to death by wild elephants on Sunday afternoon in Ergeda village under Lathikata block of Sundargarh district.
The deceased has been identified as Mangra Tirkey.
According to reports, two elephants were engaged in a fight near the village when locals quickly alerted the forest department. Forest officials rushed to the spot in an attempt to drive the animals away, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The elephants reportedly became aggressive and began chasing villagers in the area. Tirkey tried to take refuge near a parked pickup van, but the elephants overturned the vehicle and trampled him to death on the spot. Several villagers narrowly escaped the attack.
The forest department has called in additional personnel from Bondamunda and Panposh areas to help control the situation and safely drive the elephants away from the village.
