In early Saturday incidents in Odisha’s Sundaragada district, two people were killed in separate encounters with wild elephants, causing widespread fear among residents in Koida and Biramitrapur.

The first fatality involved Sambari Munda, aged 60, who was trampled near the Koida forest area after she and her family came across a tusker while leaving their home late at night. During the chaos, her daughter, Balma Munda, was injured in an attempt to flee. Locals managed to scare the elephant away and rushed Sambari to the Koida Community Health Center, but she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

In a second tragic event in Kusumtoli, which falls under the jurisdiction of Biramitrapur police, Ramchandra Gouda was also killed by a wild elephant while he was taking his morning walk.

In light of these incidents, forest officials are advising residents to exercise caution, particularly during the early morning and late-night hours, given the increased movement of elephants in the area. These incidents have once again highlighted the ongoing issue of human-elephant conflicts in Sundaragada.