6 killed in West Singhbhum elephant attacks

Six People Killed in Elephant Attacks in West Singhbhum

Six people, including four family members, were killed late on Tuesday in separate elephant attacks in the Noamundi area of West Singhbhum district, officials reported on Wednesday. This incident highlights the rising human-wildlife conflict due to increasing human encroachment into forest areas.

On Monday night, another elephant killed three family members in Goelkera, also in West Singhbhum. Forest department officials stated that at least 17 people have died in elephant attacks in the district over the past week. Efforts to drive the elephants away from human settlements have not succeeded.

Details of the Attacks

A forest official noted that fear spread across the Jeteya police station area in Noamundi following a wild tusker’s rampage. “Six people were killed in separate incidents across different villages, while four others sustained serious injuries. The most horrific incident occurred in Bawadia village, where the elephant targeted a single family,” the official said.

According to the official, six family members were sleeping in a straw-thatched house near a threshing floor when the tusker broke in late at night, killing four people. “The deceased include a husband, a wife, and their two young children. One family member escaped, while another suffered a crushed leg and is in critical condition at the hospital,” the official added.

Forest officials reported two other deaths from different villages in the same block. “One person was killed in Badapaseya village, and another died in Lampaisai village. The identities of the deceased in these villages are yet to be confirmed,” an official stated.

Ongoing Efforts to Manage the Situation

Another forest department official mentioned that the tusker, believed to have strayed from its herd, was seen in Gitikendu village around 4 a.m. on Wednesday and later moved towards Katepara village in the Jagannathpur police station area. “An alert has been issued in surrounding villages due to the elephant’s continued movement. Specially trained teams from West Bengal and Gujarat have been called in to capture the tusker. Quick Response Teams from all forest divisions have also been deployed to drive the elephant back into dense forest areas,” the official said.

Noamundi range forest officer Jitendra Singh confirmed the incidents and stated that multiple measures are being taken to push elephants out of villages. “Two teams from Bankura in West Bengal are already working, and one team from Odisha has been requisitioned. The elephant is very fast, making it hard to determine if a single elephant or a herd is causing the problem. When we control one location, the animal reaches another village before we can respond,” Singh explained.

He added that it is unclear whether the elephant has become aggressive due to stress or injury. “We have not been able to determine if the elephant has become mad. Once that is established, further action will be taken as per standard protocol,” Singh said.

Growing Human-Elephant Conflict

Officials noted that the repeated attacks highlight the increasing conflict between humans and elephants. Villages, agricultural fields, and infrastructure are expanding into traditional forest corridors. The fragmentation of elephant habitats has forced animals to stray into human settlements in search of food, often leading to fatal outcomes.

Forest secretary Aboobacker Siddique was unavailable for comment on Wednesday. However, on Tuesday evening, he stated that measures are being taken to control elephant movement. “According to standard protocol, steps have been taken. Experts from Bengal have also been called. People are being moved to safer places due to the elephant attacks. Compensation for crop and property damage is being provided, but our main focus is to prevent loss of human life. Positive results are expected within a day or two,” Siddique said.