Man Killed After Two Tusker Elephants Clash Near Lathikata in Sundargarh

A tragic incident unfolded on Sunday morning at Ergeda village under Lathikata block in Sundargarh district, where a man lost his life during a clash between two tusker elephants. The deceased has been identified as Mangra Tirkey (40).

According to reports, two tuskers were fighting near the village when locals alerted the Forest Department. Forest personnel reached the spot and attempted to drive the elephants away, but their efforts failed as the animals continued to behave aggressively.

During the chaos, the elephants charged toward the villagers. In an attempt to save himself, Mangra Tirkey hid beside a pickup van. However, the tuskers overturned the vehicle and attacked him. He sustained severe injuries and died on the spot after being repeatedly struck by the elephants.

Following the incident, additional teams from Bandhamunda and Panposh forest ranges rushed to the area. Efforts are ongoing to push the elephants back into the forest.

Human–elephant conflict has been rising sharply across Odisha. With the start of the kharif paddy harvest season, elephants are moving out of forests in search of food, leading to frequent intrusions into villages. This has resulted in increasing loss of crops and several fatal encounters, highlighting the growing struggle for space between humans and wildlife in the state.