Kalyansinghpur: A woman from Tota village in Parshali Panchayat, under Kalyansinghpur block of Rayagada district, was seriously injured in an elephant attack. Residents of several villages in the Niyamgiri hill region, such as Lakhapadar, Dangamathi, Guma, Patangapadar, Buduni, and Chatikana, are struggling as elephant attacks have made it difficult for them to step out, affecting their livelihood.
On Thursday evening, while returning home from the hills, the woman was attacked by a herd of elephants. Villagers, upon seeing the incident, brought her back to the village. Despite efforts by villagers and the forest department to take her to a hospital, they were unable to do so as elephants were still roaming in the nearby forest. As a result, her condition worsened.
In the past three months, three people have lost their lives due to elephant attacks in the Niyamgiri hills of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. This has severely impacted the lives and livelihoods of the local people. Dongria Kondhs (a tribal community) have been facing numerous hardships due to the increasing elephant menace.
When asked about the situation, Forest Ranger Chandan Gamang admitted that it was difficult to take the injured woman for treatment due to the presence of elephants in the area. He also mentioned that the rising incidents of elephant attacks have become a major concern, and the lack of forest guards has made it challenging to create awareness and provide safety measures for the locals.