Elephant herd destroys house in Odisha leaving couple homeless
A herd of 32 elephants damaged a residence in Keonjhar district, forcing Kartik Majhi and his wife to seek shelter elsewhere.
A herd of 32 elephants destroyed a house and household belongings at Balinal Sahi in Keonjhar district on Saturday, according to the Deccan Chronicle.
The incident occurred in Jali gram panchayat under the Champua block of Odisha. Kartik Majhi and his wife managed to escape the dwelling before it was rendered unfit for habitation.
The couple has taken shelter in another person's home after their belongings were damaged. Majhi has requested help from the district administration and the Forest Department to rebuild their house.
Champua Range Officer Sagar Raj Nayak confirmed that the house is no longer habitable. He stated that the section officer will investigate the matter within the Champua forest range.
Nayak said the Range Officer and other officials will perform a field survey to determine the extent of the damage. Once the assessment is complete, the family can apply for government compensation.
The department intends to provide the highest possible assistance allowed under existing government rules following the mandatory survey.