Four of family among six killed as wild elephants storm Jharkhand village

Six people were killed after a herd of wild elephants stormed a village in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh late Thursday night, triggering panic and grief across the area. The attack occurred in Gondwar village, leaving five people dead on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries during treatment.

Among the victims were four members of the same family. In one devastated household, only an elderly woman survived. The tragedy has cast a spell of mourning over the village, with residents spending the night in fear and keeping vigil to guard against further attacks.

Villagers said the herd entered the settlement after dark and began rampaging through homes, trampling residents who were unable to escape in time.

The incident has intensified longstanding fears about elephant movement in the region, which has witnessed similar episodes in the past.

Vikas Kumar Ujjwal, Divisional Forest Officer of the Hazaribagh East Forest Division, confirmed the deaths and urged residents to exercise caution.

“People should remain alert and avoid venturing into forested areas. We are continuously making announcements in the affected villages,” he said.

Forest department teams have been deployed to monitor the movement of the herd and warn villagers through loudspeakers.

Sub-Divisional Officer Aditya Pandey visited the site to assess the situation.

Calling it “a very tragic incident,” he assured that relief measures would be extended in accordance with government norms. “Compensation will be provided to the families of the deceased as per the rules,” he said.

Local MLA Tiwari Mahato, also known as Nirmal Mahato, met bereaved families and expressed concern over recurring elephant incursions.

“Six people losing their lives in a single night is deeply disturbing. Elephants have been a terror in this area before. The department has not been sensitive enough about driving them away, which has led to such a major incident,” he said.

He added that while authorities must act decisively, villagers should also remain vigilant.

The incident has reignited concerns over human-elephant conflict in the region, with residents demanding stronger preventive measures to avoid further loss of life.

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Inputs by Satyajit and Bismay Alankar