Khordha: A 60-year-old farmer, Pathani Swain, was killed in an elephant attack around 5 PM on Thursday at Tankola Deula Sahi under Jankia police limits in Khordha district.
According to reports the tusker attacked Pathani, causing severe injuries, including a fractured right leg, a ruptured abdomen, and critical head trauma. The injuries led to excessive bleeding, resulting in his death at the scene. Pathani was returning home from his vegetable field on his moped when he was attacked by the tusker.
Local villagers, upon learning of the incident, rushed to the site and informed the Jankia police and Forest department. However, their absence for over three hours sparked outrage among the community, who alleged that forest officials avoided the scene due to fear of unrest. Jankia police finally arrived around 8:30 PM, escalating tensions further.
Forest department sources revealed that 15 elephants are currently in the Kamaguru forest, with one in Tankola.
Bhushandapur Forester Prashant Kumar Dash noted that repeated warnings had been issued to locals to avoid forest areas due to elephant presence.
“Despite awareness efforts, people continue to venture into these areas, leading to such tragedies,” he said. He assured that compensation would be provided as per government norms.
The incident highlights the growing human-elephant conflict in the region, raising concerns about the need for stronger preventive measures and timely response from authorities to mitigate such tragedies.
