Over 1,400 people and 256 elephants dead since 2000; West Singhbhum attacks spark fresh alarm
Jamshedpur: Jharkhand is witnessing a growing and alarming conflict between humans and elephants, with devastating consequences for both. A recent survey by the Wildlife Institute of India reveals that between 2000 and 2025, 256 elephants have died in the state. Of these, 172 deaths were caused by electrocution, poisoning, explosions, or train accidents, while 84 were due to natural causes. During the same period, over 1,400 people lost their lives in elephant attacks and more than 600 others suffered serious injuries.
The latest tragedy occurred in West Singhbhum’s Chaibasa on Friday, where three people were killed in separate elephant attacks. A wild elephant crushed 35-year-old Mangal Singh Hembram in Bandijhari village, followed by the deaths of 55-year-old Urdu Bahanda in Birsinghatu village and 57-year-old Vishnu Sundi in Roro village. Two women, Mani Kuntia and Sukhamati Bahanda, were seriously injured and admitted to Sadar Hospital, Chaibasa.
Other recent elephant deaths include an elephant found in Neemdiha, Saraikela on June 5, 2025, an eight-year-old elephant in Serangsia, Chaibasa Range on May 2 and two female elephants in Schoolsai Tola, West Singhbhum on November 14.
Experts attribute the rising conflict to deforestation, mining, railway lines, high-tension wires, destruction of traditional elephant corridors and rapidly expanding human settlements. “Lack of food and safe passage forces elephants into villages and farmlands,” said former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Lal Ratnakar Singh. He suggested raising power lines, installing low-voltage solar fences, developing sensor-based alert systems, constructing underpasses or overbridges on railway lines, limiting train speeds in sensitive areas and ensuring timely compensation to farmers.
“Protecting traditional elephant routes and creating a multi-pronged strategy is critical,” added Sanjeev Kumar, current PCCF of Jharkhand, announcing the formation of a high-level team to coordinate with the Bengal government and forest authorities to reopen blocked corridors and curb further human-elephant conflict.
This crisis underscores the urgent need for balanced conservation measures alongside public safety initiatives to address one of Jharkhand’s most pressing environmental and social challenges.
