Bhubaneswar, Oct. 1: Two persons, including a woman, were killed by elephants at Changudia village in Athamallik sub-division of Angul district in the early hours today.

The deceased have been identified as Bablu Majhi and Ahalya Sahu. They had gone to collect fuel-wood from the forest on the village outskirts when the elephants attacked them. On hearing their screams, local people rushed to the forest only to find their mutilated bodies.

'When the victims were collecting fuel-wood in the forest, the wild tuskers suddenly appeared, as if from nowhere,<> and trampled them to death,' said a forest official, quoting an eyewitness.

Elephant attacks have become a regular affair in the state. The wild animals roam around the forest searching for food as their habitats are shrinking day after day.

'The protected parks and wildlife sanctuaries, which are the corridors of the elephants, face the onslaught of massive encroachment,' he said.

Human interference is giving rise to frequent man-jumbo confrontation in as many as 44 wildlife divisions in Odisha. Reports said more than 700 elephants have been killed in Odisha since 2006-07.

During the same period, the elephants have killed as many as 670 persons, 12 in the past six months. Dhenkanal, Athagarh, Keonjhar and Similipal have witnessed high casualty of both humans and elephants.