A wave of panic has gripped Kandhamal district following a fatal encounter with a wild tusker. Three villagers—identified as Basudev Pradhan, Kirtan Bagarti, and Duri Pradhan—were tragically killed while collecting firewood in the forest under the Paburiya section of G. Udayagiri.
The victims, hailing from Damba and Paburiya villages, were caught off guard by the elephant in the dense woodland. Upon receiving the news, a Forest Department team rushed to the scene to recover the bodies and assess the situation.
The local community is currently living in a state of high alert and fear as the tusker remains in the vicinity. Forest officials have urged residents to avoid entering the forest patches until the animal is safely diverted.