5 killed by elephants in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Dec 18 (IANS) A herd of rampaging elephants have killed five people in the last one week in Jharkhand's Pakur, Jamtara and Dumka districts, forest officials said on Tuesday.

The fifth person was trampled to death late on Monday in Pakur by the herd that has 22 elephants.

According to forest department officials, Amanuwal Hembrom, 30, a resident of Khhassa village was one of the members in a group that had been trying to chase the elephants away.

A mob on Tuesday blocked the national highway in Pakur demanding action and compensation.

The herd has been rampaging through the Santhal Pargana region.

They had first entered Jamtara district and trampled three people to death on different days. Later the herd entered Dumka where one person was trampled to death.

The herd also includes baby elephants, who have wrecked havoc -- standing crops and houses have been damaged by the herd, a forest official said.

In Jharkhand more than 700 people have been killed by elephant herds since the states creation in 2000.

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