The human cost of a prolonged conflict with a rogue elephant in Jharkhand has risen sharply, with the death toll reaching 17 in West Singhbhum district. The latest victim, a middle-aged woman named Chipri Chimpi from Sialjod village, succumbed to her injuries at the district's sadar hospital late on Wednesday.
A Desperate Search for the Rogue Tusker
Forest department officials across the Kolhan region are engaged in an extensive, multi-team operation to locate the sub-adult male tusker responsible for the carnage. The elephant, which is in a state of musth—a period of heightened aggression and hormonal surge—has eluded trackers since Thursday morning. Its movement pattern is described as haphazard, covering a vast 100-kilometer circumference across three forest divisions: Chaibasa, Kolhan, and Saranda.
Chaibasa divisional forest officer Aditya Narayan confirmed that specialized assistance is now being deployed. One expert tracker from 'Vantara' in Gujarat has already arrived, with more team members from 'Vantara' and 'Wildlife SOS' expected by Friday morning. They join Quick Response Teams (QRT) from Bengal and Odisha that arrived two days prior.
Official Response and Public Safety Measures
With the primary focus on preventing further casualties, authorities are implementing several safety protocols. "We are still camping in the fields while trying to trace the elephant with multiple teams," Narayan told reporters, adding that public announcements are being made in vulnerable areas to educate villagers on safety measures.
West Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Chandan Kumar stated that work is underway to map high-risk villages. The administration is planning to temporarily relocate people from critical areas to safer locations. The worst-affected blocks have been Noamundi, Tonto, and Goilkera.
A Trail of Tragedy Since January
The current crisis is the culmination of a series of attacks that began on January 1. The elephant has killed 17 people and injured over half a dozen in approximately 12 separate incidents. The forest department has stated that tranquilizing and relocating the animal is the intended course of action, but the immediate challenge remains tracking it down.
Kolhan's Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF), Smita Pankaj, emphasized that the elephant's location has not been pinpointed in the last 12 hours. The animal was last seen on Wednesday in the Sialjod forest area of the Hatgamharia block. As the search continues, the communities in West Singhbhum remain on high alert, hoping for a swift end to the deadly rampage.
