A forester in-charge has been suspended in this connection, while forest authorities announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased as per the provisions of compassionate grant in the event of death due to wild animal attack.
"The compensation will be provided to the families of all three deceased who lost their lives in the incident. Strict action will be also taken against the officials who have been negligent in their duties," said Forest and Environment minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia, while expressing grief in the matter.
The Minister said following the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, he has also directed the departmental officials to investigate the matter and initiate appropriate action.
Sources said the incident happened early in the morning, at around 4.30-5 am when the villagers of Baghadharia, within Rasol section of Hindol forest in Dhenkanal, were going to a nearby pond in their village to take bath and came face to face with a tusker that had stayed into the area.
The full-grown male had been roaming in the area alone without being attached to any herd, forest officials said, and added that it has now been driven away to a nearby forest where forest frontline staff are monitoring its movement.
Following the incident, family members of the deceased and villagers staged a protest seeking adequate compensation.
PCCF Wildlife Prem Kumar Jha said the families of the deceased were assured of Rs 10 lakh compensation, of which Rs 1 lakh will be disbursed immediately.
Dhenkanal DFO Sumit Kumar Kar said forester and Forest Guard in-charge of Rasol Beat Lusimita Singh has been suspended in connection with the incident and attached to Hindol range. "Disciplinary proceeding will be done pending approval from higher authorities," he said.
Officials of the Division admitted that presence of around 200 elephants at Hindol range at present has already made monitoring task challenging.
"More than 100 protection squad members have been deployed to monitor movement of elephants in the range.
An additional 25 volunteers have also been mobilised now to intensify it further in the affected area," the DFO said.
Comment: Related: In the 4 years between 2020-21 and 2023-24, human deaths due to elephant encounters in India increased from 464 to 629