Elephant tramples villager to death in Seraikela-Kharsawan

Jamshedpur: A 55-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant at Saparup village under Chandil forest range in Seraikela-Kharsawan district early on Saturday, police said. The deceased was identified as Radha Tantubai.Police said Tantubai was heading towards the field to answer nature’s call when the elephant, which had strayed into the village on the foothills of Dalma, appeared before him. Tantubai attempted to run away but the elephant caught Tantubai with its trunk, flung him into the air and then trampled him to death after he fell on the ground, the police said.Tiruldih police station officer in-charge, Kaushal Kumar, said that a herd of six elephants was wandering in the area since the early hours. One of them got separated from the herd and strayed into the fields and later attacked Tantubai.After hearing his screams, villagers rushed to the site and drove the elephant back into the forest by creating noise and beating utensils. Police sent the body for post-mortem examination to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital.A forest officer said that Rs 50,000 has been handed over to the bereaved family for conducting the last rites.Elephants have been wreaking havoc in the Chandil range for the past two weeks, damaging houses, destroying crops and eating grains stockpiled in two adjoining villages of Gunda and Detar Vanghar.“Elephant raided our house besides three others in the village, damaged the front portion of the thatched houses and also damaged standing crop,” said Milan Mahato of Vanghar.On Dec 28, 2025, a 50-year-old man was killed in an elephant attack under Kukru police station limits in Chandil range. On Oct 17 last year, a 34-year-old villager was killed by an elephant under Chandil police station limits.