Tusker tramples three to death in Odisha

A tusker went on a rampage trampling three people — including two women — to death in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district, one of worst affected by human-elephant conflict in the country.

Enraged by the deaths, villagers came out in open and blocked National Highway connecting Cuttack and Sambalpur on Thursday morning.

The tragic incident took place in Baghadharia village on Thursday early morning, when victims identified as Jhulana Dehuri, Karunakar Dehuri and Sashi Sahu had gone to a pond to take bath. However, they accidentally stumbled upon the tusker that had been roaming alone.

The elephant trampled three villagers one after another. While two died on the spot, one died in the hospital. As the people expressed deep anguish over the incident, forester Rasol Beat Lusimita Singh was suspended.

Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia expressed deep sorrow over the incident. Although the Forest Department has deployed a large number of trackers to monitor elephant movements, villagers allege that the precise locations of the animals are not being effectively communicated to them.

Since April this year, wild elephants have claimed the lives of ten people in the State, including a couple. Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, Odisha recorded 1,209 fatalities due to elephant attacks.

Last month, the Odisha government increased the ex gratia compensation for deaths caused by wild animal attacks from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh.