Sundargarh (Bonai): In a heart-wrenching incident, a wild elephant killed two children after dragging them out of their home in Kantapalli village under Bonai limits of Sundargarh district, Odisha, early Sunday morning. The victims, aged 12 and 3, were sleeping when the tragedy unfolded.
According to sources, a wild tusker entered the Mundasahi locality of the village around dawn, triggering panic among residents. Elder family members fled in fear, leaving the two children behind. While the older girl woke up and tried to escape, the elephant caught her and trampled her to death. The three-year-old met the same fate shortly after.
The devastating attack has sent shockwaves through the area, with reports indicating that a herd of elephants had been roaming nearby prior to the incident. Several others in the village reportedly sustained injuries during the attack, heightening tensions in the locality. Despite the gravity of the situation, authorities are yet to issue a formal statement.
Rising Human-Elephant Conflict:
The incident highlights the growing crisis of human-elephant conflict in Odisha, particularly in the Bonai Forest Division. This year alone, the region has recorded eight human fatalities since April, alongside extensive damage to houses and crops. Villagers, many of whom live in fragile mud-thatched homes, have borne the brunt of these attacks.
In January, residents of Bonai staged a blockade on the Bonai-Jangla road to protest the recurring elephant menace. While the Forest Department has introduced preventive measures, including drone surveillance to track elephant movements, locals claim these efforts have failed to yield significant results.
At least 80-90 elephants are reported to inhabit the forests of the Bonai division, with two solitary tuskers being identified as major threats. These tuskers have been involved in multiple attacks, including one on Friday, where an elderly villager lost his life. In a separate incident, two forest employees were injured while monitoring tusker movements.
Mounting Resentment Against Authorities:
Anger among villagers is growing over the Forest Department’s perceived inability to ensure safety and mitigate the conflict. Residents allege that despite compensations totaling Rs 1.5 crore for deaths and property losses, the measures have done little to protect their lives and livelihoods.
Forest Division Officer Lalit Patra stated that efforts are ongoing to safeguard human lives and property, but the escalating incidents suggest that more needs to be done. With tensions rising and lives at stake, the need for sustainable and effective solutions to the human-elephant conflict in Odisha has never been more urgent.
