Tusker turns berserk, kills mahout in Orissa

A tusker from Nandankanan Zoo, trained to carry tourists in Satkosia forest of Orissa, went berserk and killed its mahout (keeper) at Tikarpara, about 60 km from here, official sources said today.
 
The mahout, identified as Bimal Das, was taking the elephant out of the forest yesterday when the animal attacked him and pierced its tusk into his body, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), S Mishra said.
 
Das was taken to the district headquarter hospital here but could not be saved, he said.
 
The elephant then went berserk and ran towards Tikarpara village, triggering panic among the people and several villagers even fled the area, sources said adding though the tusker damaged some houses none was injured.
 
A team from Bhubaneswar had reached the area in order to bring the tusker under control by using tranquiliser.
 
The tusker is one of the two elephants which had been trained to entertain the tourists in the sanctuary, they added.