Elderly farmer fatally attacked by elephant while defending crops
Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: An elderly man was tragically killed in an elephant attack while guarding his field in Kushkala village, located in the Bashanpal block of Odisha's Keonjhar district. The victim, identified as Maheshwar Mahanth, was 68 years old.
Reports indicate that residents are in a state of panic as a herd of 32 elephants continues to roam near the village, causing significant destruction. The elephants have been wreaking havoc in Kushkala, Adal, Kalanda, and surrounding areas, damaging homes and paddy crops. To protect their livelihoods, villagers have been vigilantly guarding their fields at night, using drums and vessels to scare off the elephants.
Late on Sunday night, a lone female elephant entered Maheshwar's paddy field and began destroying his crops. When he attempted to chase the animal away, it turned on him, resulting in a fatal attack.
Following the incident, a team from the Forest Department arrived at the scene, recovered Maheshwar's body, and sent it for autopsy. While efforts are underway to drive the elephants away, villagers have expressed resentment and are demanding financial assistance for Maheshwar’s family from the government.
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