A devastating wave of violence attributed to a single rogue elephant has gripped the Kolhan forest region of Jharkhand, with the death toll rising to nine people in just five days. The latest spate of attacks, which claimed four lives in the last 24 hours, has prompted forest authorities to launch a major operation to control the marauding tusker.
A Trail of Tragedy: Latest Attacks Detail
The most recent tragedy unfolded late on Monday night in Sova village, under the Goilkera police station. A sleeping family was brutally attacked when the elephant demolished their hut. The victims were identified as Kundra Bahanda (30), his three-year-old son Kodama, and his two-year-old daughter Somu. Kundra's wife and their infant daughter miraculously survived the assault.
Earlier on Monday morning, the same elephant struck in Misribera village, also under Goilkera police station. There, a 50-year-old woman, Joga Laguri, was trampled to death, and her husband, Chandramohan, was injured. Officials believe the tusker, described as just above the sub-adult age group, destroyed the family's thatched house while they were asleep.
Forest Department's Stringent Response
With nine fatalities and five injuries recorded so far, the forest department is pulling out all stops. Smita Pankaj, the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) for the Kolhan division, stated that an expert team from the Vantara Rescue and Rehabilitation Center has been called in. "Tranquillising and translocating the elephant may be necessary, as further casualties cannot be ruled out," she said.
The department has mobilized multiple forces to track and contain the animal, which is currently roaming the Tonto range—a trijunction of the Saranda, Kolhan, and Chaibasa forest divisions. Quick Response Teams from adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan and East Singhbhum districts have been deployed. Additionally, a trained team from West Bengal has been pressed into service to drive the elephant away from human settlements.
Operation Underway in Vast Forest Terrain
Foresters on the ground report that the elephant's path of destruction covers a significant area. The animal has been moving across the Tonto, Goilkera, and Muffasil police station areas, impacting the Kolhan, Saitwa, and Santra forest ranges. This wide-ranging movement has complicated containment efforts and heightened fear among villagers in the region.
The escalating crisis underscores the severe and often deadly challenges of human-elephant conflict in India's forested heartlands. As authorities race against time to capture the rogue tusker, communities remain on high alert, hoping for an end to the terrifying rampage.
