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Ranchi, Nov 17 (IANS) Man-elephant conflict is intensifying across Jharkhand, with five people killed in elephant attacks and two elephants found dead under mysterious circumstances in the last one week.
In the latest incident, on Sunday night at around 11 pm, a herd of about 15 elephants entered Kharkanda village of Jageshwar OP area of Bokaro district and created ruckus for several hours.
The mob crushed 45-year-old Sanjho Devi to death and vandalized 25-30 houses. A car and a tempo parked outside a house were also damaged and food kept there was also eaten.
Villagers said the attack was so sudden and severe that many residents climbed onto rooftops to save their lives.
After receiving the information, the forest department team reached the spot, but by then the herd had caused huge loss worth thousands of rupees.
The villagers have demanded immediate compensation and increased security.
Exactly a week ago, two youths – Prakash Mahato and Charku Mahato – were crushed to death by a mob near the Tilaiya underground railway crossing in the same area. The victims, trapped in the darkness of the forest, had no time to escape.
In another incident, 43-year-old Nakul Oraon of Mahua Patra village in Chatra district was killed in an elephant attack last Tuesday.
40-year-old farmer Chhotan Munda was crushed to death while trying to drive away a wild elephant in Lurungi village under Chanho police station of Ranchi district on Saturday night.
Angry villagers blocked NH-75 on Sunday morning demanding a government job and compensation for Munda’s family. The jam was lifted after the forest department provided Rs 25,000 as immediate assistance and assured further action.
Meanwhile, the discovery of two dead female elephants – one of which was pregnant – at Juginanda Tola in West Singhbhum district on Friday has raised concerns within the forest department.
Villagers reported the dead body after foul smell spread in the area.
Ranger Jitendra Prasad Singh said the cause of death was unclear, though the animals were believed to have died two to three days ago.
Traces in the surrounding fields and forests indicate that a herd was recently passing through the area.
Postmortems were conducted, and samples of viscera from the liver, kidneys, and other organs were sent for forensic examination.
–IANS
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