Villager Trampled: Protests Erupt Over Elephant Attack in Jharkhand

A man was killed by an elephant in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, sparking protests by villagers who blocked a highway, blaming the forest department for negligence. The agitation was called off after officials promised action. The area has seen elephant-related issues for weeks.

A 30-year-old man was tragically trampled to death by a wild elephant in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, according to local police reports. The victim, Sagir Ansari, was returning home from his paddy field when the incident occurred.

Enraged by the attack, villagers launched a protest, blocking a key road near 'Kachhari More,' which halted traffic on the Ranchi-Rourkela Highway for an hour on Wednesday. Their ire was directed at the forest department's alleged negligence in handling the elephant herd that has been causing havoc in the area.

Officials, including Sub-Divisional Officer Amit Kumar and others, assured the protestors that action would be taken against those responsible. The protest ended following this assurance, but the incident highlighted ongoing human-wildlife conflicts in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)