Dhenkanal: A tusker killed a man at Kamakhyanagar range, while a herd of elephants stopped traffic on NH-55 at Haldiabahal between Dhenkanal and Angul for two hours on Sunday morning.

Gandharva Maharana was going to visit a family relative from his native village Jaka on a cycle. When he reached Kusumjodi, a tusker appeared on the road from a roadside bush and attacked and killed him on the spot.

Irate local people gathered and refused to handover the body to authorities unless due compensation was paid to his bereaved family members.

Later, the protest was lifted after the forest authorities stepped in, assured the protesting villagers that the elephant would be chased away and also paid compensation to Maharana's family members.

In another development, a herd of about 24 elephants blocked traffic on NH-55 at Haldiabahal for two hours while they were crossing the highway. While crossing the road, some of them stood on the road, blocking the vehicular movement. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the both sides as a result.