No fewer than 20 people have been killed by a wild elephant in nine days in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, officials have said, adding that the animal is yet to be captured.
The deaths occurred between January 1 and 9 in the Chaibasa and Kolhan forest sections of West Singhbhum district, which are part of Asia’s largest Sal forests.
Human-elephant conflict has been documented in the region for years, with officials and experts blaming it on declining forest cover, habitat fragmentation, and increased human activities along elephant corridors.
An extensive search operation involving over 100 forest personnel is underway to locate the elephant, according to officials.
“This is an unprecedented situation. It’s the first time such a pattern of fatalities has been linked to a single male elephant in the region,” said divisional forest officer Kuldeep Meena, adding that the entire area had been put on high alert to prevent further loss of life and property.
Their immediate priority, he said, was to trace, capture, and safely return the animal into the wild.
District magistrate Chandan Kumar told the BBC that a forest worker is among the 20 people who have died. Authorities have announced monetary compensation for their families.
The majority of the killings occurred at night, while villagers were protecting paddy stored in fields and barns, which is a standard practice throughout rural India.
One of the casualties, Mangal Singh Hembram, 34, was attacked on his way home from work in Bodijari village, according to officials.
According to his relatives, Urdub Bahoda, 62, was slain while keeping an eye on his land in Birsingh Hatu village. Later that night, Vishnu Sundi, 42, from a neighboring village, was stomped to death while resting outside his home, according to his son.
On 5 January, Kundra Bahoda and his two children, six-year-old Kodama and eight-year-old Samu, were murdered by an elephant.
Kundra’s wife, Pundi, claimed she escaped with her injured two-year-old daughter and only later discovered that her husband and two older children had died.
According to forest officials, the elephant was young, agile, and regularly changed locations, especially at night, making tracking difficult. Teams have used traditional drum alerts to warn neighbors and advise them not to walk outside or sleep outside at night.
Meena said a preliminary assessment suggested the animal could be in its mating phase when male elephants experience heightened aggression due to increased testosterone levels. Officials said such behavior usually subsides within 15 to 20 days.
They also said the elephant may have strayed from its herd, underlining the need to locate it and allow it to rejoin other elephants in the forest.
