Bokaro: A tragic incident occurred in Bagodih village under Sariya police station limits in Giridih district on Saturday night, where a 19-year-old college student, identified as Anurag Yadav, was killed by a wild elephant that had become separated from its herd. The victim, a resident of the same village, was a second-year undergraduate student at Sariya College.
Incident Details
Anurag was returning home from Hazaribag after completing his examinations when the fatal encounter took place. According to villagers, the elephant had been roaming in the area for the past two days, and multiple alerts had already been sent to the forest department. On Saturday night, when the elephant entered the village, residents came out and attempted to drive it away by shouting and flashing torches. The animal initially retreated, but as villagers began returning home, it suddenly turned aggressive and charged back, sparking chaos. In the stampede-like situation that ensued, people ran in different directions to save themselves. During the panic, the elephant struck Anurag forcefully with its trunk, throwing him into a nearby well. Villagers pulled him out and rushed him to a hospital, but doctors declared him brought dead.
Police and Forest Department Response
Sariya police station officer-in-charge Pinku Singh confirmed the death, stating that the victim was a resident of the same village. Police from Sariya station reached the spot soon after receiving information. The body was sent for post-mortem on Sunday morning and later handed over to the family. Forest department officials said the family would receive compensation and assured all possible assistance.
Villagers' Allegations
Dharmeshwar Yadav, a villager, termed the incident ‘extremely tragic’ and alleged negligence by the forest department. He said the elephant was roaming in the area for the past two days and claimed that if authorities had acted in time after being informed about its movement, “the fatal incident could have been prevented.”
