Kaniha: In yet another incident of human-animal conflict, two people were killed in an elephant attack in a forest near Suleipal village under Kaniha forest range in Angul district Friday.
The deceased were identified as Debadatta Samal and Sudhakar Mohanty.
According to sources, the incident occurred while the duo had gone to a nearby farmland Thursday evening. They came face to face with the pachyderm that had strayed into the farmland.
Soon, the animal attacked the two, crushing one to death on the spot and badly injuring the other. As the duo did not return home, their families carried out a frantic search to trace them and found Sudhakar’s body.
Debadutta, who sustained grievous injuries in the attack, was rescued and rushed to the Talcher Hospital where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Officials from the Kaniha forest range and Rengali police visited the spot and have initiated an investigation into the incident.
The incident comes a day after a 65-year-old man, Bandhua Nayak, was killed in an elephant attack near Patrapada village under Chhendipada forest range in the same district.