Tribal youth trampled to death by elephant

Baripada, Nov 20 (UNI) A tribal farmer of Gadpa forest region under Badampahar police station has been trampled to death by a wild elephant.

Rairangpur Forest Division sources here today said the farmer came face to face with a herd of about five wild elephants, including four adult cows and one adult bull, when a cow elephant trampled him to death.

The farmer was patrolling his cropland last night to protect the standing kharif paddy crops, when he came face to face with the animal, villagers said.

The villagers have demanded compensation to the tune of Rs one lakh to the kins of the deceased farmer, sources said.

Rairangpur Divisional Forest Officer Bijoy Kumar Parida has confirmed that the herd was a resident population that actively moved about on the Orissa-Jharkhand border during their seasonal migration.

Referring to the demand for compensation, the DFO said that enquiry was in progress and steps would be taken soon according to amended rules.

UNI