No fewer than 20 people have been killed by a wild elephant in nine days in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, officials have said, adding that the animal is yet to be captured.
The deaths occurred between 1 and 9 January in the Chaibasa and Kolhan forest areas of West Singhbhum district, which are part of one of the largest Sal forests in Asia.
Human-elephant conflict has been reported in the region for years, with officials and researchers linking it to shrinking forest cover, habitat fragmentation and increased human activity near elephant corridors.
A massive search operation involving more than 100 forest personnel is under way to locate the elephant, officials say.
“This is an unprecedented situation. It’s the first time such a pattern of fatalities has been linked to a single male elephant in the region,” said divisional forest officer Kuldeep Meena, adding that the entire area had been put on high alert to prevent further loss of life and property.
Their immediate priority, he said, was to trace, capture and safely return the animal into the wild.
District magistrate Chandan Kumar told the BBC that a forest worker is among the 20 people who have died. Authorites have announced monetary compensation for their families.
Most of the deaths occurred at night, when residents were guarding paddy stored in fields and barns – a common practice in rural India.
One of the victims, 34-year-old Mangal Singh Hembram, was attacked near his home in Bodijari village while returning from work, officials said.
