Rampaging elephant kills 22 in Jharkhand
Since January 1, a single-tusked wild elephant has killed 22 people in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district.
The animal, currently in musth (a period of intense hormones), has been attacking huts and barns in forest-edge villages at night and hiding deep in the woods during the day.
The first attack was on a 35-year-old man from Bandijhari village.
Ongoing search and safety measures
The rampage continued with seven people—five from one family—killed on January 6-7 in Sowan village.
Despite three failed attempts to tranquilize it, the elephant keeps moving up to 30km daily, making capture tough for over 80 rescue personnel using drones for tracking.
Authorities have handed out torches and firecrackers for safety, evacuated high-risk areas, and even canceled trains as they work to protect residents while searching for the animal.