Dhanbad: A 52-year-old govt school teacher was trampled to death by an elephant in Guliadih village on the outskirts of Dhanbad late Monday, triggering panic among residents.The deceased, Girja Murmu, was trying to drive away a herd of elephants that had entered the village and begun damaging maize crops on his family’s land.Villagers said the herd had been attempting to cross into the Pirtand area for the past few days but was unable to do so because the Barakar river was swollen. On Monday night, the elephants entered Guliadih and started raiding crops.Murmu, along with several other villagers, tried to chase the animals away by burning tyres and making loud noises. Although the main herd appeared to have moved away, one or two elephants reportedly remained hidden in the darkness. As Murmu moved forward, one of the elephants suddenly charged and trampled him to death.The incident sparked anger among villagers on Tuesday, with residents alleging delays in the arrival of forest and police officers. They demanded immediate steps to prevent further human-elephant conflict and sought compensation for Murmu’s family.Divisional forest officer Vikas Paliwal said the forest department had launched efforts to drive the herd back towards forested areas. “We have provided Rs 10 lakh in compensation to his kin as per govt norms,” he said.Paliwal urged residents, particularly those in rural areas, to remain alert, saying standing crops and stored grain were attracting the elephants to villages. Forest personnel have been deployed in the area to monitor the herd’s movement and prevent further attacks.
