Bhubaneswar, July 14: Residents of Rourkela city were in a state of panic after an elephant killed a mother-son duo yesterday when the victims were deep asleep inside their house in their village under Kuanrmunda forest range.

The area is just 15km away from the steel city. Elephant herds often come close to the city, sparking off panic among the residents. In 2013, a herd had moved into Rourkela from the Bisra side and entered the under-construction Bisra Stadium at Bisra Chowk.

Villagers said that last night, the elephant herd entered the house of Samari Pradhan, 38, and crushed both Samari and her son Satrughna Pradhan, 13, to death while they were asleep. Samari's husband had died earlier. Another son of Samari, who stays in hostel, is now the only surviving member of the family.

The elephant herd stayed in Kuanrmunda forest for a long time and left a few months ago. But it has now returned, spreading panic among the villagers.On Wednesday night, villagers, along with the help of the forest officials chased the herd up to Sialijore. When it started raining heavily, the villagers had to turn back, leaving the herd just on the border of the village.

Last night, the herd went on a rampage in a nearby crop field. One of them entered the house of Samari and dragged the mother-son duo out. Villagers said that the elephant kicked the two around. The dance of death continued for some time and then the herd escaped into the nearby Kuanrmunda forest.

Villagers said that nine persons had lost their lives to rampaging elephant herds over the past three years. Last year, four persons were killed by elephants.

Rourkela divisional forest officer Sanjit Kumar today said: "We are going to pay compensation of Rs 6 lakh to the immediate family members of last night's victims. They have received Rs 20,000 from the government and another Rs 10,000 from Red Cross." Besides, another Rs 2000 will be given to the family under Harischandra Yojana for performing the last rites of the victims, he added.

Kumar said the forest department was going to build solar fencing shortly after the monsoon to bar the elephants from coming out of the forest.

Patient thrashed

A doctor of the Chandbali Community Health Centre allegedly thrashed a woman who was admitted to the hospital for delivery on Wednesday. The woman has been identified as Subhalaxmi Behera of Nalgohira village. On Thursday, she was transferred to the delivery room after she complained of labour pain.