Khurda (Orissa), Jan.31 : A wild bull elephant had to be killed earlier this week after it strayed into the Madhupur Village of Orissa's Khurda District.

The jumbo, believed to be around 50 years of age, was shot down by a village elder Purnachandra Baliar Singh at night after it came too close to his residence and damaged the paddy stored outside his house.

Seventy-eight-year old Purnachandra described the killing as an action taken in self-defense, said forest officials.

"The  tusker was entering into the Madhupur village and it got so close to the residence of one of the persons. His name is Purnachandra Baliar Singh who was sleeping  near the verandah.

The spot is just hardly 10 feet from his residence and it was destroying his paddy. So, he fired at the animal. The animal had two shots on its temple and forehead and succumbed to the injuries," said G. Rajesh, Divisional Forest Officer, Khurda.

Rajesh added that the gun has been seized. An investigation has been launched while a post-mortem of the dead animal will be carried out and necessary action would be taken based on that.

Purnachandra Baliar Singh said he had no option but to shoot the elephant. "When the elephant charged at me I shot at it," he said.

The single-tusk elephant is stated to have arrived in the village from Chandrika Wildlife Sanctury.       

Orissa has nearly 1,900 elephants roaming in jungles. (ANI)