3 min readRanchiFeb 7, 2026 09:44 PM IST

Days after three villagers were killed in elephant attacks in Bokaro district, the same herd struck again Saturday in the Mahuatand police station area, killing two members of a family, including a minor.

The herd of five elephants moved to Gangpur village and caused extensive damage, killing two members of the same family and injuring four others, including three minors. According to officials, the elephants suddenly stormed into the village and attacked the house of Somar Saw. As the family members tried to flee to the rooftop to save themselves, the herd surrounded them.

This comes less than a month after a rampaging elephant killed over 20 people in the state.

Somar Saw and his three-year-old grandson, Aman Saw, died on the spot. A woman and three children who sustained serious injuries in the attack were admitted to Ramgarh Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Confirming the deaths, Bokaro DFO Sandeep Shinde said that eight people have been killed since January – five in the last two days alone. Experts attribute these attacks largely to the impact of mining and other activities on the state’s elephant corridors.

He said the forest department has intensified its response following back-to-back elephant attacks. He said a 16-member expert team from Bankura is expected to reach the affected area by this evening to assist in managing the situation.

Shinde said all injured persons have been admitted to Ramgarh Sadar Hospital, where a special team of doctors has been constituted for their treatment. A team led by a forest ranger is overseeing the medical care of the injured, he said, adding that arrangements have also been made to shift the injured to RIMS, Ranchi.

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Meanwhile, officials have contacted conservation centre Vantara to help with tranquilisation and rescue operations, with a team expected soon. The state will release compensation for the deceased, officials said.

“Till then, a Quick Response Team (QRT) has been deployed on the ground to closely monitor the movement of the herd. Drone cameras are being used to capture footage to accurately identify the problematic elephants,” he said, adding that safety measures such as forming local vigilance teams and equipping residents with torches and firecrackers to help ward away the elephants have been undertaken.

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Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers’ unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens.

Expertise & Background
Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities.

Academic Foundation
He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy.
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