An elephant on the loose in Jharkhand, India, has killed at least 22 people in just ten days, continuing to evade capture.
As reported by TMZ, a one-tusked elephant started to attack villages in the Chaibasa district on New Year’s Day and has killed over 20 people since. Among those who have been killed are an expert who was enlisted to help stop the elephant and multiple people who were trampled as they slept.
Videos circulating on social media showed crowds fleeing from the elephant, which was attacking individuals. Officials attempted to drive the elephant into Odishba, but they later chased it back to Chaibasa due to safety concerns.
Elephant-on-human violence has been on the rise in India in recent years, per the BBC, with researchers believing it's due to the shrinking forest habitats of Chaibasa and Kolah forest areas. “This is an unprecedented situation. It's the first time such a pattern of fatalities has been linked to a single male elephant in the region,” said divisional forest officer Kuldeep Meena, who said the goal is to capture and safely return the animal.
Officials have determined that the elephant is believed to be relatively young and has almost constantly been on the move. The elephant, which officials also suggested strayed from its herd in the forest, could also be in its mating phase, leading to increased aggression. The elephant is still at large.
Victims include 34-year-old Mangal Singh Hembram, who was attacked as he returned home from work, 62-year-old Urdub Bahoda, and 42-year-old Vishnu Sundi. On Jan. 5, the elephant killed Kundra Bahoda and two of his children, while his wife and their two-year-old daughter were able to escape.