Two brothers mauled by elephant die in hospital

Baripada, Jan 2 (UNI) Two of the three tribal children, who were mauled by a migrant bull elephant, succumbed to their injuries yesterday while the third one was battling for life at the district headquarters hospital at Keonjhar in Orissa.

They were attacked by the pachyderm which strayed from its wild habitat in the neighbouring Jharkhand, crossed Orissa border and sneaked into Karpal village under Gudgudia forest range of Mayurbhanj district.

Forest department sources here today said both the injured children were initially admitted to Jashipur hospital but later shifted to the district headquarters government hospital at Keonjhar when their condition deteriorated. They died yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Budhan (10), and Chandan Hansda (8), both sons of Ananta Hansda of Karpal village.

The children and their parents were sleeping in a make-shift hut close to their recently harvested paddy when the crop-raiding lone tusker attacked them.

While the parents ran away with life.

Meanwhile the villagers of Karpal have demanded payment of compensation of Rs.1 lakh and medical expenses for the injured one.

They have demanded that the forest department must take steps to chase away the migrant elephant to its habitat in Jharkhand and save them from its depredations.

UNI