India Tracks 'Killer Elephant' That Has Killed 22 Residents

Single Male Elephant Begins Attacks on January 1
Residents Targeted in Successive Assaults Across Multiple Villages

Authorities in India are tracking a male wild elephant that has killed at least 22 people while roaming through several villages.

According to local media outlet 'The Hindu' and the UK’s BBC and The Guardian on January 17 (local time), earlier this month a male elephant attacked residents in succession in the West Singhbhum region of Jharkhand State in eastern India. This elephant, which is notable for having only one tusk and is believed to be relatively young, began its attacks on January 1 by trampling a 35-year-old man to death. It then continued to attack people while moving through various villages in the forested area. So far, there have been a total of 22 victims.

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The elephant is reported to have mainly attacked residents at night in small villages, targeting those who were guarding rice fields or barns to prevent rice theft. Authorities believe the elephant became extremely aggressive after separating from its herd during its musth period, when male elephants become highly territorial and violent. The local forest management authorities have attempted to tranquilize the elephant three times, but all attempts have failed. Authorities stated that they will continue their efforts to track and tranquilize the elephant.

The Jharkhand state government has declared an elephant emergency alert in the area, urging residents not to go out at night or enter the forest, while deploying more than 100 personnel to conduct a large-scale search operation. However, tracking the elephant has proven difficult, as it moves rapidly along irregular routes through the forest, covering about 30 kilometers per day.

An official from the Jharkhand Forest Department said, "This is the first time so many fatalities have occurred in this region because of a single male elephant," adding, "Our top priority is to capture the elephant and safely return it to the wild by reuniting it with another herd."

Meanwhile, fatal incidents involving elephants continue to occur in India. In particular, deforestation and the expansion of human settlements have reduced suitable habitats for elephants, leading to more frequent conflicts as elephants encroach on residential areas. The Guardian reported that over the past five years, more than 2,800 people have died from elephant-related incidents in India. In addition, India’s Ministry of Environment stated that between 2020 and 2025, about 80 wild elephants nationwide have died after colliding with trains.