Tusker kills man, injures youth near Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, July 12: In yet another tragic incident highlighting the persistent elephant menace in the Kolhan region, a 55-year-old man was trampled to death by a lone wild tusker in Rajnagar block of Seraikela-Kharsawan district. The tusker, believed to have strayed from its herd, also caused severe injuries to an 18-year-old youth at a different location nearby. The alarming incidents have left the villagers fearful as the aggressive tusker continues to roam within the human habitat.

The victim has been identified as Judhistir Mahto, a resident of Bodsmtaliya village. He tragically fell prey to the wrath of the elephant while answering nature’s call in a bush near his house early in the morning.

The tusker attacked the youth identified as Sumit Panda and inflicted grievous injuries. The injured who is a resident of Khiri-Bhalubasa village was rushed to a nursing home in Adityapur for treatment.

It may be mentioned here that trampling deaths were reported from Chandil-Chowka areas in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district and also in the Chakulia block in the Ghatsila sub-division of the East Singhbhum district earlier.

News of the incident spread quickly, sending shockwaves through the village and prompting heightened vigilance among the residents. However, the lone tusker, exhibiting signs of desperation, remained in an aggressive state, causing growing concern among the locals.

Meanwhile, rampaging herds of tuskers in the villages of West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharsawan district are forcing innocent tribesmen to spend sleepless nights.

In an area that boasts of a forest cover of 30 percent, the human-animal conflict is a major concern of the people. In the past one month cases of elephant’s regularly damaging standing crops and attacking villagers have shot up.

In many villages, people are forced to spend their nights on trees in fear. Some even light fires and drumming up traditional instruments to keep tuskers at bay. People are in a state of havoc due to such menace. Sometimes villagers migrate to safer places for a week or more to avoid the sudden night-time attacks of the wild elephant herds.

“We are forced to spend sleepless nights. Our lives are at risk due to rampaging elephants. Elephants regularly venture into villages, destroy houses, damage standing crops and even trample people to death. We are forced to work like a ‘night guard’ to save our lives and crops” said Ramesh Munda of Chakulia. He said that rampaging elephants are a cause of concern. Some measures have been adopted and there is need to do more to protect the people.