Sambalpur, Nov 11: Human-elephant conflict continues to claim lives in western Odisha. In a tragic incident, two farmers were trampled to death by a wild elephant near Kutaba village under the Badarama forest range of the Kuchinda–Bamara forest division on Monday night.

The deceased have been identified as Gangaram Patel and Pradeep Ghatual, both residents of Kutaba village located inside the Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary. According to reports, the duo had gone to their paddy fields at night to guard their crops when a tusker suddenly attacked them. Despite attempts to flee, the elephant chased and trampled them to death.

When the two did not return home by morning, their worried family members went to the fields and were shocked to find their bodies lying in a bloodied condition.

Upon receiving information, Jamankira Police, the Badarama Range Officer, and the Jamankira Tahasildar rushed to the spot. However, tension prevailed in the area as angry villagers initially refused to allow the bodies to be taken for post-mortem, demanding immediate compensation and preventive measures against recurring elephant attacks.

The situation was later brought under control after officials assured the villagers that their demands would be addressed.

This incident adds to the growing list of casualties in the ongoing human-elephant conflict across the region, highlighting the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies.