In the latest incident, one Yakub Bek (50) was killed on Thursday evening on the village road in Sialjor of Kacharu panchayat under Rourkela forest division.
Rourkela Assistant Conservator of Forest JK Mohanty said a lone tusker that had separated from its herd of nine elephants killed Bek.
His widow Pyari and another woman Janaki of Kuanrmunda said they are living in fear due to the unpredictable behaviour and movement of the elephants. Janaki said panic grips the area after sunset.
Forest officials said after a lull of two months, the first human death this year occurred on February 8 night when a woman was killed in Sundargarh forest division followed by death of a labourer in Bisra block under Rourkela forest division on February 12.
On March 7, the mud house of one Krupa Barla was razed by a lone tusker in Balishankara block of Sundargarh forest division.
From January last year to March 10 this year, the Rourkela forest division reported 10 human casualties, while Sundargarh and Bonai forest divisions accounted for nine and six respectively. From March 2014 to April 2015, the district had reported loss of 16 human lives.
Regional Chief Conservator of Forest Lingaraj Otta said elephants from adjacent forests of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are sneaking into Sundargarh district.
As their movement is unpredictable, the foresters often fail to stop the animals from killing people and damaging crops and properties.
He said forest officials are trying their best to keep track of the animals and villagers are also being sensitised on safety measures.