Ranchi: Panic gripped residents on the outskirts of Ranchi on Monday after a wild elephant strayed into a residential area under the Ratu police station limits and killed a man.
The incident took place in Pali village, where the elephant attacked and fatally injured Subodh Khalkho. According to villagers, the animal was first spotted early in the morning near Chittarkota Patra village before moving towards Pali. Both locations are densely populated.
This is the second such incident in the state capital within four days, raising serious concerns among locals. Residents said the same elephant had entered the Ranchi–Hatia area last Friday and roamed through streets and residential neighbourhoods for nearly four hours before retreating.
Forest Department officials said the movement of the elephant is being closely monitored. Teams have been deployed in the affected areas, and efforts are underway to safely guide the animal back into forest zones. As a precaution, villagers have been advised to remain indoors, keep children and elderly family members safe, and maintain a safe distance from the animal. Authorities have also warned people not to chase or provoke the elephant.
Jharkhand has witnessed repeated incidents of elephants entering Ranchi and its adjoining areas in recent years, underscoring the growing problem of human–elephant conflict. In June 2024, an elephant was spotted near the Jharkhand Assembly complex on the city’s outskirts. Earlier, two elephants had wandered into an abandoned cold storage facility in the Ratu area, while in January 2013, an elephant strayed into the Deepatoli Army Cantonment, triggering widespread alarm.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has expressed concern over the rising frequency of such incidents. He recently chaired a review meeting with Forest Department officials and directed them to frame effective long-term measures to prevent elephants from entering residential areas.
According to official estimates, nearly 27 people have lost their lives in elephant attacks across various districts of Jharkhand in the past few months.
With inputs from IANS