Rourkela, Sept. 10: A 35-year-old man was trampled to death by a herd of elephants on Kuanarmunda-Hatibari road on the outskirts of the city last night.

Enraged over the incident, a mob had blocked the road for more than six hours demanding compensation for the victim. The deceased has been identified as Bharat Singh of Bano in Jharkhand.

Singh was returning to his village from his in-law’s house in Rourkela with a friend on a motorcycle when they spotted the herd crossing the road. They fell on the road when their two-wheeler skidded. While Singh’s friend managed to run away from the spot, the elephants trampled Singh.

Kuanarmunda forest ranger P.K. Dhal said after the incident, local people put up a roadblock and did not allow police to take away the body.

“Our officials rushed to the spot and convinced the mob after which they dispersed. We have provided them Rs 10,000 for cremation. The deceased’s family will get Rs 2 lakh compensation from the state government, according to the rules,” he said.

The elephants also destroyed around 10 houses at Patulikhaman village in the area last night. As villagers managed to run away from their houses, none was hurt.

A forest official said the revenue inspector, forester and other officials would visit the village, and based on their reports, the villagers would be compensated for the loss caused to their property.

The ranger said around 50 elephants from Saranda forest had been roaming in Biramitrapur and Kuanarmunda forest range for the past one year. Two herds consisting of 10 and 11 jumbos have been entering villages in the area.

“Despite our attempts, the elephants are not moving towards Saranda jungle,” he said. The official said the ongoing combing operation in Saranda jungle bordering Jharkhand and Odisha had affected jumbo movement.

Sources said that in past one year, over Rs 1 crore had been given as compensation to victims of elephant attack in the area.