Elephants kill two women in Mayurbhanj (India)

Press Trust of India

November 26, 2012

Two women were trampled to death by a herd of rampaging elephants at Tiansia in Mayurbhanj district, forest officials said today.

Phulamati Nayak (70) and her relative Sunia Nayak (28) were trampled to death by the elephants after they pulled down their thatched house last night.

The herd, comprising about 120 elephants coming out from the Dalma Elephant Sanctuary in the neighbouring Jharkhand, entered Mayurbhanj district about 15 days ago.

The elephants had already damaged paddy crops in a vast area in Suliapada and Morada blocks, the officials said.

"All our efforts to drive them out from the human habitation have failed so far," B K Panda, Divisional Forest Officer, Baripada, said adding that the jumbos were in no mood to vacate the place due to availability of food here.