Overview
- The attack occurred near Lochapali village in the Patpuri forest of Dhenkanal’s Sadar range around midday Tuesday.
- Six women collecting firewood were charged by four wild elephants, with a survivor saying the animals appeared without warning.
- Forest patrols rescued the group, though Indu Pradhan (60), Tuni Behera (50), and Kuntala Pradhan (40) were declared dead.
- The injured—Rama Dehuri, Rasmita Pradhan, and Jhili Pradhan—are under care at the district headquarters hospital, where officials described their condition as normal.
- Odisha has reported some of India’s highest human–elephant conflict fatalities in recent years, reflecting risks for forest-dependent communities.