‘22 Dead In 10 Days’: Rogue Tusked Elephant Turns Jharkhand’s Chaibasa Into A Death Zone
Forest officials struggle to capture an aggressive lone elephant in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa, even as at least 22 deaths have occurred in 10 days.
Published : January 11, 2026 at 2:05 PM IST
By Devendra Kumar
Chaibasa: “Stay away from elephants; don’t go out at night,” the forest department of Jharkhand has repeatedly appealed to residents in Chaibasa district amid fear, as a single-tusked elephant was involved in a series of deadly attacks.
According to officials, the wild elephant killed at least 22 people in the past 10 days, as it has been on a violent rampage since January 1.
“Despite multiple efforts with the support of district administration, the elephant continues to evade capture. This is becoming a serious challenge in managing human-wildlife conflict in the area,” they said.
Forest officials had attempted to tranquilise the elephant three times but failed. On Friday evening, multiple teams managed to drive the elephant towards forest areas in neighbouring Odisha. However, the animal was pushed back by Odisha’s alert forest personnel due to security concerns.
“The elephant has re-entered the Chaibasa region, prompting us to start a fresh search and appeal to residents to remain indoors,” said an official.
The forest department has also pressed specialist teams from the ‘Tara Rescue Team’ in West Bengal, Odisha and Gujarat to provide services to control the elephant using modern equipment.
“The experts from Tara also struggled to manage the animal’s aggression as the elephant fatally attacked one of the team’s experts. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but later died during treatment,” the official said.
Aditya Narayan, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Chaibasa, said the elephant had become “extremely violent” as he had been separated from his herd and was moving at a rapid pace.
“The elephant is covering nearly 30 kilometres every day. Its re-entry into Jharkhand has been confirmed. Our team is on high alert, and efforts to tranquillise it will be resumed. Villagers have been strictly advised not to go into the forests and to remain vigilant,” Narayan said.
About deaths and rescue efforts
The rogue elephant’s first victim was 35-year-old Mangal Singh Hembram of Bandijhari village in Tonto block on January 1. Then it attacked 55-year-old Urdu Bahanda of Kuchu Basa Toli in Birsinghhatu village, followed by 57-year-old Vishnu Sundi of Roro village in Sadar block. Mani Kuntia and Sukhmati Bahanda were also seriously injured on the same day.
Another deadly incident took place on the night of January 6 in Babaria village of Noamundi, where an elephant killed five people, including a married couple, their two young children, and a member of another family. “The attack took place around 10 pm while the victims were sleeping. One child managed to escape and survive,” per officials.
Additional fatalities were reported from Bada Pasiya village, Lampaisai village and the Hatgamharia area, though the identities of some victims are yet to be confirmed.
Amid the uncertainty, the forest department has sought help from expert teams from West Bengal and Vantara, an animal rescue, care, and rehabilitation initiative established by the Reliance Foundation.
Prof. DS Srivastava, a wildlife expert, attributed the elephant’s aggression to musth or separation from its herd. “The elephant involved in the Chaibasa incident is a sub-adult… It wants to rejoin its mother’s herd,” said Professor D.S. Srivastava, a wildlife expert, “he said.
According to Prof Srivastava, an elephant herd is a family unit, where the mother lives with her offspring. "Male elephants separate after growing up, but all the females stay together," he said.
Death toll since 2008
The fresh attack puts a spotlight on Jharkhand's continuous and alarming levels of human-elephant conflict. Official data suggests that around 1,270 people and nearly 150 elephants have died in such encounters over the past 18 years.
“At least 1,251 people were killed by elephants between 2008 and 2024, with attacks continuing into 2025 and rising again in 2026,” per the Forest Department data.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife Paritosh Upadhyay said Jharkhand has an estimated 550 to 600 elephants, which are constantly entering populated areas. “The encroachment on traditional migration routes, deforestation, and food and water scarcity have intensified the conflict, particularly during winter months when attacks increase,” he said.
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