Villagers and forest officials recovered the mutilated body of farmer Prafulla Behera, 55, from ChadHeimara forest in Deogarh district, raising suspicion of a fatal elephant attack.
Prafulla Behera of ChadHeimara village went missing after entering the nearby forest on Wednesday afternoon. His family searched through the night but failed to trace him. On Thursday morning, villagers and forest staff jointly combed the forest and discovered his severely injured body.
Officials from the Kundheigola forest section confirmed that the circumstances pointed to an elephant attack. The region has witnessed frequent elephant movement in recent days, heightening fears among locals. Forest officer Manmath Behera and his team recovered the body and initiated post‑mortem procedures.
The incident triggered tension in the area as hundreds of villagers gathered at the site. Residents expressed concern over repeated elephant incursions and demanded stronger measures to protect lives and livelihoods.
Forest officials acknowledged the growing challenge of human‑elephant conflict in Deogarh. They emphasised the need for awareness campaigns, preventive strategies, and rapid response mechanisms to reduce casualties.
