20-year-old girl trampled to death by wild elephant in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a tragic incident, a wild elephant trampled a 20-year-old girl to death in a forest near Gurutuan village under the Champua forest range in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Sombari Munda, a native of Gurutuan under Jajang panchayat.

As fate would have it, Sombari was en route to her maternal grandfather’s residence, traversing a path that meandered through the forest. However, her journey took a harrowing turn when she unexpectedly crossed paths with the wild pachyderm.

Without warning, the elephant launched a ferocious assault on Sombari, trampling her to death on the spot. The tranquil ambiance of the forest was shattered by this tragic encounter.

Promptly notified of the incident, authorities swiftly responded. Police personnel from Bamebari, along with local Forest Department personnel, rushed to the scene to initiate an investigation. Sombari’s lifeless body was retrieved and transported for post-mortem examination, as protocol dictated. A case of unnatural death was promptly registered by the authorities.

Bamebari IIC Dipti Ranjan Sahu confirmed the unfortunate demise, attributing it to an elephant attack. Concurrently, efforts were underway by Forest Department personnel to steer the elephant herd away from human settlements and back into the safety of their natural habitat.