Jumbo herd kills man in Chakulia

Jamshedpur: An elephant herd trampled to death a 60-year-old man near Bandih village under Kadaduba panchayat in East Singhbhum's Chakulia forest range, around 70 km from here, on Friday morning.

The victim, Shyamchandra Pal, had ventured into a nearby jungle when he came too close to the herd that had crossed over to Chakulia from adjoining Ghatshila forest range.

Chakulia range officer Gorakh Ram said the incident took place between 4.30am and 5.30am. "Pal and a few villagers from Bandih had gone to chase away the elephants but he came face-to-face with the herd and was tramped to death. A villager was also injured in the attack," he added. Pal's body has been sent to Ghatshila Sadar hospital for autopsy.

The range officer said around a dozen elephants had crossed Kharaswati river, which flows between Chakulia and Ghatshila range, on Thursday night. "We have formed two separate teams to drive away the jumbos from the jungle near Bandih village. But is it very difficult as they tend to come back again. But we are doing our best," he said.

The forest department handed over Rs 25,000 to the widow of the deceased for performing his last rites and Rs 3.75 lakh more would be given as compensation after paper works are completed. The forest department gives Rs 4 lakh compensation to victims of elephant attacks.

Ghatshila range officer Sushil Verma said separate herds of around 40 elephants were scattered in the jungles and some crossed over to Chakulia on Thursday night. "The herds were anchored at Makuli and Dayamani jungles till Thursday. Then they moved towards Chakulia," he said and added some of the elephants were still stationed in Ghatshila range.


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