Four Killed in Elephant Attacks, Residents Protest in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh

Ramgarh: Widespread unrest broke out in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district on Wednesday after wild elephants claimed four lives in separate incidents within a single day, sparking protests and raising serious concerns over forest management and public safety.

Angry residents staged a road blockade at Number Four Chowk in Ghato, halting movement for several hours. Demonstrators blamed the district administration and Forest Department for failing to prevent elephants from straying into populated areas despite repeated incidents in the past.

The protest severely disrupted traffic on the Ramgarh–Kedla main road and surrounding routes, causing major inconvenience to daily commuters and transport operators.

The deaths occurred from Tuesday evening to late night under the jurisdiction of Ghato police station. The victims were identified as Amit Rajwar (33), Amul Mahto (35), Parvati Devi (40), and Savitri Devi (45).

Fear spread rapidly after reports of the attacks, leaving many villagers confined to their homes overnight.

According to eyewitnesses, the first attack took place around 4 p.m. near the Ara Number Four Feeder Breaker in West Bokaro. A herd of elephants had stopped along the roadside, drawing curious residents from nearby villages. When some people reportedly attempted to scare the animals away, one elephant became violent and attacked.

Rajwar, who was returning from his duty at Sarubera Colliery to his village Ichakdih, was fatally trampled. The sudden attack caused panic, with heavy vehicle drivers abandoning their trucks and fleeing the area.

Later that evening, Amul Mahto from Giddi was killed in another elephant encounter. The situation worsened late at night when Parvati Devi, wife of Mahavir Manjhi, and Savitri Devi, wife of the late Lakhan Karmali, were also trampled to death.

The consecutive tragedies have sent shockwaves across the district. Protesters accused authorities of neglect and demanded urgent intervention, including fencing forest boundaries, deploying rapid-alert systems, and ensuring swift compensation for the victims’ families.

With inputs from IANS