Human Wildlife Conflict / Elephant Attacks Claim Two Lives in Odisha

Dhenkanal, Oct 25: Elephant attacks have once again claimed lives in Odisha, with two separate incidents reported from Dhenkanal and Hindol.

In Dhenkanal’s Shadangi forest range under Dalara village, 65‑year‑old Sridhar Dehuri was fatally attacked by an elephant late at night when he stepped out of his house to relieve himself.

He was first rushed to the Sriramchandrapur Community Health Centre and later shifted to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Also read: Odisha’s Five Orangutans Await Repatriation to Indonesia

Forest officials confirmed that 21 elephants are currently roaming the area, including tuskers, female elephants, and calves.

Locals allege that in the past month alone, more than three lives have been lost and crops destroyed due to elephant incursions. They have demanded that the rogue elephants be tranquilized and relocated.

In Hindol forest range, another tragic incident occurred when 36‑year‑old Sanjay Bhoi of Nandeilo Tantimunda village was killed by an elephant while heading to his farmland. He was taken to Hindol Medical Centre but succumbed to his injuries. Residents say human‑elephant conflict has become a daily occurrence in the region.

Data shows the alarming scale of the crisis: in 2026 so far, eight people and eight elephants have died in Hindol due to such conflicts. In 2025, 16 human deaths and five elephant deaths were recorded, while in 2024, 10 people and five elephants lost their lives. Over the past three years, elephant attacks have claimed 34 human lives and 18 elephants in the region.

The recurring fatalities highlight the urgent need for stronger mitigation measures, including relocation of herds, better forest management, and community awareness. Authorities face mounting pressure to balance conservation with human safety as the conflict intensifies.