Jumbo tramples old man to death

--Six die in elephant attack within nine days in S’garh

ROURKELA: A marauding elephant trampled an old man to death in Sundergarh district on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Kastu Bariha of Telijor village under Balisankara block in the district.   

According to the villagers, a tusker trampled Bariha when the latter came out of his house after the wild animal’s attack on his house. The old man died on the spot. The pachyderm had been creating havoc since past one and a half month in the area, leaving acres of their standing crops damaged, they alleged.

Demanding immediate step to drive away the elephants from the area, the locals blocked Balisankara-Chattishgarh road and protested the elephant menace in the area. The villagers alleged that the forest officials are not taking immediate step to check the problem, while the forest officials said they would start night patrolling to keep eye on the movement of the elephant.

“We will start night patrolling in the area. If needed, we will tranquilise the elephant,” said the local Ranger Gauranga Sahu.       

According to reports, the old man became the sixth victim of the pachyderm attack in past nine days.