Jharkhand: Drone Deployed to Track Wild Elephant in Kiriburu

Jamshedpur: The Forest Department has deployed drone surveillance to track a wild tusker after its sudden intrusion into the Kiriburu township sparked widespread panic among residents and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) employees.

The elephant has currently taken refuge in the dense foliage near the old Magazine House on the vital Kiriburu-Hilltop main road, turning the daily commute into a high-stress journey for local workers.

Late-Night Chaos at Meghahatuburu Mines

The crisis escalated dramatically late Monday night (June 29) at around 11:00 PM when the elephant crossed the main road and breached the perimeter of SAIL’s Meghahatuburu iron ore mine. The tusker wandered directly into the facility’s mechanical shovel section.

The unexpected encounter sent shockwaves through the night-shift crew. Workers scrambled for safety, ducking behind heavy mining machinery and taking cover inside secure buildings. Eyewitnesses reported that the jumbo loitered around the industrial facility for a significant period before finally retreating into the adjacent forest cover.

Forest Department Launches High-Tech Search

The alarm sounded early Tuesday morning again at 5:30 AM when local residents spotted the same elephant hovering near the old Magazine House structure. The community immediately notified authorities of the recurring threat.

Forest Department official Shankar Pandey confirmed that a drone operator has arrived at the site. Officials are using aerial drones to pinpoint the elephant’s exact coordinates without agitating it, aiming to map out a safe route to drive the animal back into the core zones of the forest.

Public Advisory: The Forest Department urges locals, commuters, and mining staff to maintain a safe distance. Authorities explicitly warn against taking selfies, pelting stones, or provoking the tusker, noting that any aggressive reaction could cause a severe loss of life and property.

Shrinking Habitats Drive Human-Elephant Conflict

Wildlife experts tracking the situation note a steady rise in wild animals migrating from the sprawling Saranda forest division into industrial and urban clusters.

Experts blame expanding human encroachment in wilderness areas and a critical shortage of natural food and water resources within native jungle habitats. These severe deficits are forcing elephants to forage deep into human territories to survive.