PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur / Hazaribagh, Feb 13: At least six people were trampled to death after a herd of wild elephants entered Gondwar village in Churchu block of Hazaribagh district late Thursday night, forest officials confirmed on Friday.
The incident has left the village in shock and mourning. Four of the deceased belonged to a single family. The victims have been identified as Suraj Bhuiyan (55), his daughter-in-law Suman Devi (25), her two minor children, Mangara Bhuiyan (58), and Dhaneshwar Ram (around 55).
Elephants enter village at night
According to villagers, a herd of five elephants entered Gondwar between 1 am and 2 am while most residents were asleep. The elephants damaged several mud houses, breaking walls and doors, and triggered panic as people rushed out to save themselves.
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Suraj Bhuiyan and his family, who were asleep inside their home, reportedly had no time to escape. In the chaos that followed, six villagers were trampled to death.
Residents tried to drive the elephants away by beating drums, banging utensils, and flashing torches. However, the herd continued its rampage before retreating into the nearby forest after sustained efforts.
Officials reach spot, relief process begins
Teams from the local administration, police, and the forest department reached the village on Friday morning after receiving information about the incident. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
Forest officials said elephant movement in the region is being closely monitored. The process of providing immediate relief and compensation to the affected families has begun. Villagers have been advised to remain alert and avoid venturing out alone at night.
Rising human-elephant conflict
Human-elephant conflict has been increasing in Jharkhand. Around two dozen villagers have reportedly been killed in elephant attacks across the state over the past two months, raising concerns over frequent wildlife movement into human settlements.
