Wild elephants turn deadly, kill seven people in one night; 17 lives lost so far
Chaibasa (The Uttam Hindu): Wild elephant attacks have become increasingly deadly in West Singhbhum district. In a tragic incident, five members of a single family were killed in a wild elephant attack on the night of January 6 in Babariya village under the Jeteya police station area of the Noamundi block. The attack took place around 10 pm while the family members were asleep inside their house. One child from the family narrowly escaped and survived.
The deceased have been identified as Babariya village resident Sanatan Meral, his wife Jonkon Kui, their two young children, and another family member, Mogda Laguri. The elephant suddenly attacked the house, crushing the victims to death. The violence did not stop there. In Bara Pasiya village, another villager was killed in an elephant attack, while a separate incident in Lampaisai village claimed the life of yet another villager. At the time of filing this report, the identities of these two victims had not been confirmed.
After receiving information about the incidents, teams from the forest department and the local administration reached the affected areas. Fear has spread across the region, and officials stated that the elephant is being monitored. Authorities have also assured compensation to the affected families and the implementation of safety measures.
Earlier, a 35-year-old man, Mangal Singh Hembram of Bandijhari village in the Tonto block, was killed on the spot in an elephant attack. On the same night, 55-year-old Urdu Bahanda of Kuchubasa Toli in Birsinghatu village also lost his life. Another victim, 57-year-old Vishnu Sundi from Roro village under the Sadar block, was killed in a similar attack. In these incidents, Mani Kuntia and Sukhmati Bahanda from Birsinghatu village were seriously injured. These attacks reportedly occurred on the night of January 1.
In the Goilkera police station area, a wild elephant crushed to death 13-year-old Renga Kayom, son of Mandru Kayom, in Saytwa village. In another incident, 10-year-old Dhingi Gagarai, daughter of Nandu Gagarai from Baipi village under Chakradharpur police station limits, was seriously injured after being thrown by an elephant.
In the early hours of January 4, a tusker elephant killed a 47-year-old woman in Amrai Kitapi village of Topnosai Tola under Kuida Panchayat in the Santra forest area of Goilkera block. Her husband Ranjan Topno and their 10-year-old son Kahira Topno were injured in the attack.
On Monday morning, 50-year-old Jonga Laguri was killed in an elephant attack in the forest village of Mistrybeda under Bila Panchayat in the Santra forest area, while her 52-year-old husband Chandra Mohan Laguri was critically injured. In another horrifying incident, a tusker attacked in Sowa village of Goilkera, killing Kundra Bahada, his six-year-old son Kodma Bahada, and his eight-month-old daughter Samu Bahada. Their three-year-old daughter Jingyin Bahada was seriously injured.
After these attacks, the uncontrolled elephant moved through Sowa and Patung villages and reached Kuilsuta village in the Tonto block under the Santra forest area early Tuesday morning, where it killed 21-year-old Jagmohan Sawaiya. Continuous elephant attacks have created panic across the region, with villagers living in fear. The forest department is making efforts to drive the elephant back into the forest and ensure the safety of local residents.