A herd of 16 elephants wreaked havoc in Saragul village under Ichhapada panchayat, Muribahal block, late Wednesday night, leaving a family homeless.
The herd entered the village around 2 am and demolished the house of Lingaraj Bhoi, trapping his family under the collapsed roof and wooden beams. Lingaraj managed to escape and alerted villagers, who rushed to drive the elephants away and informed the forest department.
Forest officials arrived at the spot and rescued the injured, sending them to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital, Balangir for treatment. Meanwhile, the family’s house was completely destroyed, leaving them without shelter.
Villagers have demanded immediate government intervention, urging authorities to cover medical expenses and provide the affected family with a permanent house under housing schemes. They stressed that poor families hit by elephant attacks should receive rehabilitation and compensation.
