Ranchi, March 28
An angry elephant, believed to be separated from its herd, trampled four people to death and injured two others in Jharkhand’s Gumla and Simdega districts within 12 hours between Thursday night and Friday morning, officials said.
The incidents have caused panic and chaos in the affected villages as the elephant continues to roam in the area.
The deceased have been identified as Christopher Ekka (60) and Hemvati Devi (35) from the Palkot police station area in Gumla; and Sibiya Lugun and Vikas Ohdar from the Bano police station area in Simdega.
Around 1 a.m. on Friday, the elephant entered Buruirgi village in Simdega and attacked a house, killing Vikas Ohdar.
A few hours later, it chased and trampled Sibiya Lugun to death while she was collecting Mahua in Pabuda village.
By 6 a.m., the elephant had moved to Bardih-Devgaon in Gumla, where it crushed Christopher Ekka to death while he was working in a field.
Shortly after, it wrapped Hemvati Devi in its trunk and slammed her to the ground while she was collecting lac from a tree in Tetartoli village, killing her on the spot.
Two others, Ajay Minj and Imil Ba, were also injured in the jumbo attack and have been hospitalised.
The rampaging pachyderm continues to move through villages in the Bano police station area, causing widespread panic among the local residents there. Villagers claim a herd of elephants had been roaming in the area for days, but despite repeated alerts, the forest department failed to take action.
They said, “We informed the authorities about the herd of elephants moving in the area, but they did not take any action. This is nothing but sheer negligence.â€
Following the tragic incidents, a forest department team is now working to drive the elephant back into the forest. However, locals blame official negligence for the deaths, alleging that authorities ignored early warnings.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is absolutely heartbreaking 💔 These poor villagers were just going about their daily lives. The forest department needs to be held accountable for ignoring the warnings. My prayers are with the victims' families.
Tragic situation all around. The elephant is clearly distressed from being separated from its herd. We need better wildlife management systems to prevent human-animal conflicts before they turn deadly.
While this is devastating, let's not forget the elephant is also a victim here. Habitat loss is forcing these animals into human territories. Need long-term solutions, not just reactive measures after tragedies occur.
The article mentions villagers had warned authorities days in advance. This negligence cost lives. Officials should face consequences - this wasn't an unpredictable accident but a preventable tragedy.
Respectful criticism: The article could provide more context about previous human-elephant conflicts in the region. Understanding patterns might help prevent future incidents. Still, well-reported on the immediate tragedy.
Can't imagine the terror in those villages right now. Hope the injured recover soon and the elephant is safely guided back to its herd. Authorities need to act fast before more lives are lost.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.