Rourkela/Nilgiri: A tusker trampled a man to death at Budhikani under Bisra forest range in Sudargarh district Monday night.
The deceased was identified as Umesh Munda (50).
According to reports a herd of elephants strayed into Budhikani village Monday night. The villagers tried to drive them away. During the operation, a tusker caught hold of Umesh, who was standing near his house, and crushed him under its feet.
The villagers have alleged that this particular tusker has so far claimed 13 lives in the district. They demanded that the forest department should tranquilise the jumbo and relocate it to some other forest.
Similarly, people of Singiri village of Machhua panchayat in Nilgiri in Balasore district were also in panic as two pachyderms sneaked into the village Tuesday morning. The elephants have holed themselves up in a bush, a villager said.