A wild elephant herd trampled a person inside Dhaugaon reserve forest under Surada forest range in Ganjam district of Odisha on Sunday morning. According to forest officials, the victim was identified as Sankar Nayak (56) of Gochhagaon village at a distance of around two kms from the reserve forest. “Although entry of outsiders into a reserve forest is restricted, the victim had entered the forest on his bicycle to collect firewood,” said Surada forest ranger A. K. Sahu. During the past few weeks, forest officials are continuing awareness activities in the villages near this reserve forest regarding safety measures to save human life when wild elephants are seen in proximity of their locality. A four-member wild elephant herd is roaming in the Dhaugaon reserve forest for the past few days and forest officials are busy keeping them away from human habitats. This wild elephant herd had trampled Sankar. The incident is reported to have occurred at around 7.30 a.m. The victim was chased by the wild elephant herd inside the jungle. Sankar threw his cycle and ran away. After some time he returned to collect his cycle, without realising that the elephants may be hiding nearby, said the forest ranger. While Sankar was picking up his cycle, the wild elephants hiding nearby attacked and trampled him to death. The forest officials seized the body and after its autopsy at Bhanjanagar, handed it over to his family members. Forest officials provided financial help for funeral of the poor victim.