UditVani, Jamshedpur : A devastating wild elephant attack late Monday night plunged Goelkera block of neighbouring West Singhbhum into mourning, as three members of the same family lost their lives in a sudden and violent encounter with a rogue elephant.
The incident occurred around 11 pm, intensifying fears over the growing human–elephant conflict in the region.
The victims-identified as Kundra Bahadan, Kodma Bahadan and Samu Bahadan—were killed on the spot.
A young girl from the family, Jingeen Bahadan, sustained critical head injuries during the attack. She was initially given emergency medical care before being referred to Rourkela in Odisha for specialised treatment due to her serious condition.
On receiving information, officials of the Forest Department rushed to the site and conducted a preliminary assessment.
The department provided an immediate relief amount of Rs 20,000 to the bereaved family and completed the necessary procedural formalities.
According to local residents, wild elephant attacks have claimed at least 13 lives in the area so far, with Goelkera block alone accounting for six fatalities.
The repeated incidents have instilled deep fear among villagers, many of whom now avoid stepping out after dark.
Villagers allege that despite repeated warnings and complaints, effective steps to regulate elephant movement have not been implemented.
They have demanded urgent and long-term measures from the administration to safeguard human lives in elephant-prone zones and prevent such tragedies from recurring.
