Rourkela: A 16-year-old boy was killed in a tusker attack in Bondamunda forest section of Panposh range in Rourkela forest division in the early hours of Thursday, coinciding with Rath Yatra. The deceased was identified as Alok Mohanta (16), a Class XI student, who lived with his parents and elder brother at Jaba Panposh Pahadatola under Bondamunda police limits.According to sources, Alok went out around 2.30am to answer nature’s call when a tusker, believed to have strayed from Santoshpur reserve forest, attacked him. Alok had taken his mobile phone with him. When he did not return, family members tried calling but got no response. They later found him lying dead near the roadside close to the forest, sources said.Forest officials from Panposh range reached the spot, conducted an inquiry and sent the body to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH), where it was kept in the mortuary. The range officer and other officials met the family at the hospital.Angry locals gathered at the village and demanded immediate steps to prevent elephant incursions, including solar fencing. Some residents warned of protests. They also objected to the body being taken for postmortem until their demands were addressed, sources said. Forest officials later assured villagers that steps would be taken to check elephant movement and initiate solar fencing.On Thursday afternoon, Alok’s father, Dileswar Mahanta, lodged an FIR at Bondamunda police station. “As per rule, compensation of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the family of the deceased. Officials and squad members are closely monitoring the tusker’s movement,” said Suchismita Das, range officer, Panposh forest range.
