Bhubaneswar: Three members of a family including two children were trampled to death by a herd of elephants at Saladiha village under Paikamal Range in Bargarh district on Monday night.
The deceased have been identified as Pana Bariha, her daughter Sunanda (10) and son Aditya (3).
Pana’s husband Bipin and son Mantu (7) apart from her father-in-law Jatia were severely injured in the elephant attack and are undergoing treatment at a hospital. Their condition is stated to be critical.
As per reports, Paan’s family members were asleep in the backyard of their house due to intense heatwave conditions.
The elephants strayed into the village in search of food and came across Pana’s house. The elephant herd crushed three members of Pana’s family including Pana to death.
The death of Pana and her children triggered tension in the locality. Police were pacifying the irate villagers till the last report came in.
Meanwhile, locals alleged that the Forest department had not informed them about elephants’ presence in the locality for which this incident took place.
