Khordha, April 17: In a tragic incident, a 40-year-old man was killed in an elephant attack late at night near Nidhipur village under Jankia police limits in the Tangi Forest Range of Khordha district.

The deceased has been identified as Sushant Nayak. According to reports, he was attacked by a wild elephant while in the area, leading to his death on the spot. Forest officials rushed to the scene after receiving information and have launched an investigation.

The Forest Department stated that a lone tusker has been roaming in the nearby forest area, raising concerns among local residents.

This incident adds to the growing cases of human-elephant conflict in Odisha.

Recent similar incidents in Odisha:

In Dhenkanal district, a 55-year-old woman was recently crushed to death by a wild elephant in the Hindol forest area.

In Angul district, a woman and her son were killed after being trampled by an elephant near Madhupur village while returning home from a cultural event.

Earlier this year, a youth was killed in Khordha district’s Begunia area as a herd of elephants strayed near human settlements, creating panic among villagers.

Wildlife experts have repeatedly warned that increasing human intrusion into forest areas and shrinking habitats are intensifying encounters between humans and elephants. Odisha has witnessed a significant rise in such incidents, with hundreds of deaths reported over the past few years.