Chaibasa (Jharkhand)– A young wild elephant suffered grievous injuries after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) allegedly planted by Maoists in Jharkhand’s Saranda forest, a known insurgent stronghold in West Singhbhum district, officials said on Monday.
The 10- to 12-year-old female elephant sustained a devastating wound to her right foreleg when the device exploded, blowing off parts of her foot and leaving deep gashes and torn flesh. Forest officials said the animal was in extreme pain and unable to walk when found.
Acting on a tip from local villagers, a joint team of forest officials and veterinarians rushed to the scene early Monday. It took nearly four hours of cautious maneuvering before the team could reach the distressed elephant and administer emergency treatment.
“She was given antibiotics, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory medication,” said Dr. Sanjay Kumar, the veterinarian leading the rescue operation. “Her condition remains critical, but we are doing everything possible to stabilize her and move her to a safer location for continued care.”
Officials said the elephant accepted food laced with sedatives and medicines, including a banana mixture containing antibiotics. Forest guards have been deployed to maintain round-the-clock watch, ensuring the wound does not become infected and monitoring the animal’s movement.
Authorities believe the IED was planted by Maoists targeting security forces in the dense Saranda forest region. This incident follows a similar tragedy earlier this year, when a six-year-old elephant affectionately known as “Gadru” died on July 5 after suffering severe injuries from an explosion on June 24. Despite extensive treatment efforts by a special veterinary team from Gujarat, that animal succumbed to its wounds after several days of agony.
“We appeal to all agencies to work together to detect and neutralize IEDs in forested areas to prevent further loss of wildlife,” a senior forest official said. (Source: IANS)
