Berhampur (Odisha), February 22 Two people were killed by a wild elephant in the Ganjam district of Odisha on Sunday, officials said.
The victims were identified as Urmila Rout (53) and Gopinath Pradhan (67), residents of Jalameripalli village in the Digapahandi block.
The incident occurred while they were working in their vegetable field, when the lone elephant, separated from its herd, suddenly attacked them.
"The elephant first attacked my wife when she tried to run away. Then, it picked up the man by the trunk and threw him in the air," said Simanchal Rout.
Local people rushed both of them to the nearest community health centre in Digapahandi, where doctors pronounced them dead.
Paralakhemundi DFO Nagaraju K said the elephant had crossed the Ghodahada river in the Digapahandi range and entered the Jalameripalli village.
After killing the two people, it returned to the Digapahandi range, he said.
The DFO said that the movement of the elephant was being actively tracked by staff from both the Chandragiri and Digapahandi ranges, under the Paralakhemundi and Berhampur forest divisions, respectively.
The DFO said that compensation under government provisions would be provided to the families of both deceased.
An initial amount of Rs 1 lakh each would be disbursed within 24 hours, with the remaining Rs 9 lakh to follow after the completion of all formalities, including the post-mortem examination.
The Ganjam district administration has also provided Rs 30,000 from the Red Cross to each family to conduct the last rites.