Recently, in the state of Jharkhand, India, a series of shocking wild elephant attacks on humans have occurred. According to local government officials, initial assessments indicate that a wild adult male elephant currently in musth is responsible, with its unstable emotions during this period leading to aggressive behavior towards humans. In just the past 10 days, it has already caused as many as 22 fatalities, with a severe number of casualties. At present, local authorities have issued warnings to villages and are actively attempting to track and capture this dangerous elephant.
In recent years, the destruction of forests in India has led to a gradual reduction of elephant habitats, resulting in a sharp increase in human-elephant conflict incidents. According to local media reports, this wild bull elephant is likely in musth, which has caused it to roam around the jungle and repeatedly attack humans. Some victims were trampled to death on the spot, while others were dragged into the forest after being picked up by the elephant’s trunk. What’s worse, this elephant often attacks at night when people are asleep, causing extreme panic among local residents. To prevent the elephant from approaching densely populated areas, residents have had to use fireworks and organize night patrols as a precaution.
According to official statistics, the elephant caused 7 deaths on the 5th in the Goikel Forest area, including an adult man and his two children. On the night of the 6th, the bull elephant wandered into a village in the Noamundi area, presumedly searching for food when it broke into a residence, leading to the tragic death of a couple and their children— 6 family members in total, with only a young child managing to escape. In addition, it attacked two more people at the same location, leaving them seriously injured.
Moreover, on the 10th, near Benisagar Lake, the wild elephant attacked more people, killing one instantly by trampling, while another man was dragged into the forest by its trunk, and his body was found soon after. Another person was also seriously injured in the attack and was later declared dead.
This incident of wild elephant attacks in India has drawn widespread attention. Local officials say the elephant is currently moving within the boundaries of three forest management zones, covering a range of about 100 kilometers. The local police station has already assisted nearby residents in relocating and has dispatched animal experts to help with tracking. Once the elephant is located, tranquilizers will be used to subdue it, and it will be relocated to a more suitable environment.