Kendrapara, May 22 (UNI) In a case of human-wildlife conflict, one person was killed and two others, including a woman, were critically injured following a wild boar attack in the Mahakalapada Forest Range of Odisha's Kendrapara district.

According to Santanu Dalai, Ranger of the Mahakalapada Forest Range, Siddharth Mirdha, a resident of Jamboo village, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday after being attacked by a wild boar that entered the village and went on a biting spree, spreading panic among residents.

Two others — Rabin Mirdha and Ashalata Mandal — also sustained critical injuries in the attack.

Siddharth Mirdha was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for treatment but died while undergoing treatment.

Forest personnel are closely monitoring the movement of the wild boar in the area. The department has announced a compensation of Rs 6 lakh for the family of the deceased, according to the Ranger.

Villagers living on the fringes of Bhitarkanika National Park have urged the Forest Department to declare wild boars as vermin, citing frequent attacks that pose serious threats to life and property.

They claim that wild boar incursions have become increasingly common, particularly in the Rajnagar and Mahakalapada blocks.

Local residents report that thousands of hectares of ripe paddy crops are destroyed every year as wild boars invade agricultural fields, causing extensive damage. The fear of such attacks persists year-round, creating a constant state of distress for those living near the National Park.

The villagers have demanded that the state government formally request the Centre to declare wild boars as vermin under Section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

UNI XC DP PRS