An elderly couple was trampled to death by a jumbo at Maldiha Village in Jamtara district on Sunday, forest officials said.
According to divisional forest officer (DFO) Bankar Ajinkya, it was the same sub-adult tusker, which has so far killed nine people after getting separated from its herd in early April this year. With the two new deaths, the toll reached 11.
In the recent incident, the couple was going to their farm field reportedly to sow paddy when the elephant came. “There were three to four people with the couple. However, when the elephant came, they managed to escape but the elderly couple was trampled to death,” the DFO said.
Forest officials said the tusker started its journey from Dhanbad in April this year and it has travelled to as far as Dumka while going through five districts. “The elephant seems to be returning back to its corridor in Dhanbad,” the DFO said.
As per a report provided by the forest department, the elephant first killed a 25-year-old woman on April 8 in Dhanbad, quickly followed by a second killing of a man in Jamtara district on April 13.
It then killed another two adults on May 21 and 23 in Dumka district. Then, it moved to Pakur district, where it claimed lives of two people on April 24 and May 2. Thereafter, it moved to Sahibganj district, where it killed three people by May 6. The elephant was again spotted in Pakur district on May 8 but caused no casualty, and then it moved again to Dumka district, forest officials said.
{{/usCountry}}It then killed another two adults on May 21 and 23 in Dumka district. Then, it moved to Pakur district, where it claimed lives of two people on April 24 and May 2. Thereafter, it moved to Sahibganj district, where it killed three people by May 6. The elephant was again spotted in Pakur district on May 8 but caused no casualty, and then it moved again to Dumka district, forest officials said.
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