Panic has spread across parts of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand following a series of attacks by a rogue elephant, prompting the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department to rely heavily on thermal drone cameras to monitor the animal’s movement and safeguard residents in vulnerable areas.
Under the directions of department secretary Abu Bakar Siddiqui, enhanced surveillance and rapid response measures have been rolled out in the Chaibasa and Kolhan forest divisions.
Special teams have been deployed in both forest divisions to maintain round-the-clock vigilance. Continuous tracking through thermal drone cameras is enabling officials to locate the elephant even during night hours and in dense forest patches.
Simultaneously, public announcements are being made in affected villages to alert residents about the animal’s movement. Torches and firecrackers have also been distributed to help people stay alert and discourage the elephant from straying into human habitations.
A Quick Response Team has been positioned to respond immediately if the elephant approaches populated areas. Since January 4, experts from West Bengal have been assisting the local administration in managing the situation and guiding efforts to push elephants away from settlements while minimising risk to human life and property.
Also Read: Elephant kills six in West Singhbhum
In parallel, consultations were held on January 6, 2026, with Vanatara, Jamnagar, Gujarat, on the option of tranquilising and relocating the problematic elephant.
Further discussions took place on January 7 with Wildlife SOS and the Mobile Veterinary Unit from Keonjhar, Odisha, following which the MVU team reached Chaibasa the same evening.
A committee headed by the CCF Wildlife has been constituted and will camp at the affected location to take decisions based on field inputs and drone surveillance data. Monitoring through thermal drone cameras continues to be the key tool in assessing elephant movement.
Meanwhile, the process of providing ex-gratia relief and compensation to affected families has been initiated as per rules. Injured persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals.
Till now the elephant has killed 17 people in the last seven days in West Singhbhum district and has injured about a dozen others.
Follow us
