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Odisha: A young man in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district has survived what many are calling a divine intervention after being pinned under the foot of a wild elephant.

The incident, captured on a now-viral video, has sent shockwaves across social media, highlighting the terrifying reality of human-elephant conflict in the region.

A Heart-Stopping Encounter

The victim, identified as Bidyadhar Behera of Khuntukata Sahi, was travelling near the Talabarkote area in Gobindpur on Tuesday evening when he came face-to-face with an elephant.

According to local reports, Bidyadhar was on his motorcycle when the rogue elephant emerged from the treeline and gave chase.

The encounter turned critical within seconds. The massive elephant knocked Bidyadhar to the ground and, in a horrifying moment captured by eyewitnesses, pinned him under its massive foot.

In the video, the elephant appears to be trampling the youth, a sight that usually results in instant fatality.

The Miracle at Talabarkote

As onlookers watched in terror, the unexpected happened. Instead of delivering a fatal blow, the elephant suddenly lost interest and moved back toward the forest.

To the disbelief of everyone present, Bidyadhar managed to regain his senses, crawl away from the spot, and eventually stand up.

Despite the weight of the animal, he survived with injuries to his legs, hands, and head. He was immediately rushed to the Dhenkanal District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where he is currently in stable condition.

This incident marks the latest in a series of encounters that have claimed several lives in the district over the past month alone.

Forest officials have intensified patrolling in the Gobindpur range and urged locals to avoid venturing near the forest fringes after sunset.