Wild elephant rampage claims five lives in two days in Jharkhand’s Bokaro

Fear has gripped villages in Bokaro district after a wild elephant went on a deadly rampage, killing five people in two days and injuring several others, forest officials said on Saturday.

The attacks took place in the Mahuatand police station area, where a herd of five elephants had strayed from nearby forests into human settlements in search of food. Officials said one female elephant turned unusually aggressive and was responsible for all the fatalities.

On Thursday morning, three villagers were trampled to death. The situation worsened on Friday night when the elephant killed two more people, identified as Somar Sao (50) and his nine year old grandson Ayush Kumar. Four others were injured and admitted to Ramgarh Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Divisional Forest Officer Sandeep Sinde said the animal appears to have repeatedly entered residential areas. “The jumbo is part of a herd of five elephants, but she is the only one causing trouble,” he said.

Officials added that the elephant has been linked to eight deaths in Bokaro over the last two to three months , besides casualties in neighbouring Ramgarh district. The rising frequency of attacks has heightened fear among residents.

To manage the situation, the forest department has contacted the Vantara rescue team to track, tranquilise and relocate the animal away from populated zones.

Human–elephant conflict remains a serious concern in the state. Official data show that 474 people have died in elephant-related incidents since 2019-20 , underlining the growing tension between wildlife movement and expanding settlements.

Authorities have intensified patrols and urged residents to stay indoors at night and report elephant movement to prevent further loss of life.