Bolangir: In a tragic incident, a forest department personnel was trampled to death by an elephant Omkar Bagh forest in Balangir district.
The incident took place while the forest personnel were engaged in chasing the tusker in the Omkar Bagh forest. A herd of 35 elephants were spotted in the Tikhari forest of Muribahal range. Muribahal Forester Dhruv Bagrti and other staff chased them away in the forest.
As they approached, a hidden tusker suddenly attacked the forest personnel, leaving him critically injured. His colleagues rushed him to Patnagarh Hospital, where he was declared dead. Balangir ACF Manas Behera has initiated an investigation into the incident.
The ACF has announced a compensation of Rs 6 lakh to the family of the deceased. A similar tragedy occurred in the Kantabanji range a few months ago where a forest personnel was killed by an elephant.