Bonai/Tangi: A man was trampled to death while three others sustained critical injuries in two separate incidents of the elephant attack in Sundargarh and Khurda districts Saturday.
In the first incident, a man was trampled to death by a wild pachyderm at Kuleibaga village under Bonai police limits in Sundargarh district Saturday morning.
The deceased was identified as a resident of Kulaeibaga village.
Sources said the incident occurred when the victim was out of his house for some work. Meanwhile, he was trampled to death by the wild elephant.
In another incident, three persons sustained critical injuries after they were attacked by an elephant near Bhusundapur station under Tangi police limits in Khurda district.
Sources said, a herd of 22 elephants had strayed into human settlement at Tangi Saturday night and were subsequently driven to nearby forest by forest officials. However, one of the jumbos got separated from the herd and went on a rampage today and attacked three persons in the region creating panic among the locals.
The elephant reportedly damaged some bicycles parked near a coaching centre in Tangi area and was also spotted near the railway tracks at Bhusandpur station.
On being informed, police and forest department officials rushed to the spot and drove the animal to a nearby forest. Officials have also been deployed in the area to keep a track on the movement of the pachyderm to avoid any untoward incidents.
The injured persons were rescued and rushed to the district headquarters hospital. Sources said, a wild elephant strayed into the human settlement and attacked them.
PNN