Six killed as wild elephants rampage through Jharkhand village

At least six people were trampled to death when a herd of wild elephants entered Gondwar village in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district late Thursday night, local media reported.

Four of those killed belonged to the same family. They have been identified as Suraj Bhuiyan (55), his daughter-in-law Suman Devi (25), her two young children, Mangara Bhuiyan (58), and Dhaneshwar Ram (around 55). Villagers said the family was asleep when the elephants stormed their home and had no time to escape.

A herd of five elephants reportedly entered the village between 1am and 2am. They damaged several mud houses, breaking walls and doors, sending residents running for their lives. Villagers tried to drive the elephants away by beating drums, banging utensils, and flashing torches, but the herd continued its rampage before retreating into the forest after considerable effort.

Teams from the local administration, police, and forest department arrived Friday morning. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination. Forest officials said elephant movements in the area are being closely monitored, and relief and compensation for affected families have started. Villagers have been urged to stay alert and avoid going out alone at night.

Human-elephant conflict is increasing across Jharkhand. Over the past 45 days, more than 20 people have died in similar incidents, raising concerns over wildlife venturing into human settlements.

- With inputs from IANS