In a tragic turn of events, three individuals were trampled to death by elephants in the forests of Kandhamal district, officials reported on Saturday. The incidents happened in separate areas as the victims were gathering firewood, highlighting the pressing issue of human-wildlife conflict.
Two of the deceased, identified as Bama Pradhan and Kirtan Bugarty, met their end at Damba forest in Petapanfa on Friday evening, while another, Duri Pradhan, faced the same fate at Paburia forest on Saturday morning, according to Manikeswari Patnaik, forest range officer of G Udayagiri.
The deadly encounters have sparked widespread fear among the local community, who have criticized the forest department for not informing them about the movement of elephant herds. The department is now employing drones to monitor elephant activities in the area, aiming to prevent further tragedies.
(With inputs from agencies.)