Korba, Dec 19 (PTI) A 35-year-old man was killed in an elephant attack on Friday in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district, a third victim of the same tusker over the last three days, officials said.
The incident
occurred at around 6 am at Gaurbora village in Balco forest range when the victim, identified as Mahendra Singh, was sitting on the veranda of his house warming himself by a fire, Korba Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Premlata Yadav said.
The lone male elephant, which had trampled two women to death in Katghora forest division over the last two days after getting separated from its herd, entered the Korba forest division early on Friday and created panic in the area, she said.
Mahendra’s father heard the sound of some movement in the backyard of his house and found the elephant eating paddy stored there. On seeing him, the tusker charged at the house, broke a part of the veranda and attacked Mahendra while his father managed to escape.
The elephant lifted Mahendra with its trunk and crushed him under its feet, killing him on the spot, Yadav said.
Forest officials rushed to the spot after being alerted. The body was sent for post-mortem and an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 25,000 was provided immediately to the deceased’s family, the official said.
The remaining compensation of Rs 5.75 lakh will be paid after the completion of formalities, she added.
Forest department teams are making public announcements in villages across the forest range to alert residents, urging them to stay away from elephants and avoid venturing into the forest, said the DFO.
The same elephant had killed Meena (35) in Binjhra village under the Jatga forest range on Thursday and Phulsundari (60) at Nimpani village under Chaitma forest range on December 17, officials said. PTI COR TKP KRK
