Keonjhar, Oct 17: In another case of human-animal conflict, a member of an elephant squad was battered to death during an operation to drive the wild herd back to the forest by tusker late last night. The deceased has been identified as Basant Mahanta, a member of the Elephant Squad.
The incident occurred at Jharbeda village under Sadar forest range when Mahanta was reportedly tracking a herd of seven wild elephants. Meanwhile, he was attacked by one of the elephants. While others managed to escape, the tusker lifted Basant and battered him to a tree, killing him on the spot.
The local authorities are investigating the incident and have urged residents to remain cautious in areas where elephants are known to roam.
The incident sent panic among villagers and they demanded necessary compensation for the kin of the deceased.
Worth mentioning, a herd of seven wild elephants entered Jharbeda village late Wednesday night, where they began feeding on the standing crops. Villagers spotted the elephants. Concerned farmers have expressed their worries about the losses and are urging authorities to take prompt action to safeguard their fields from further harm.
