Rogue Elephant Kills 22 People in 10 Days — Still on the Loose

A wave of fear has gripped eastern India after a rogue elephant went on a deadly rampage that has left at least 22 people dead in just 10 days — and authorities still haven’t been able to stop it.

The chaos began on New Year’s Day in and around Chaibasa, where the massive animal reportedly turned violent and began storming nearby villages. Among the most horrifying incidents: a couple and their two children were trampled to death while sleeping in their home in Babaria village.

Shocking video circulating online shows residents running for their lives as the elephant charges through populated areas, overtaking people on foot with terrifying speed.

As the death toll climbed, additional attacks were reported in Hatgamharia, Bada Pasiya, and Lampaisai. Local officials have since warned residents to remain indoors and avoid forested areas altogether as panic spreads across the region.

Authorities’ efforts to stop the animal have so far failed. Multiple attempts to tranquilize and capture the elephant reportedly went wrong, and the situation worsened after officials briefly pushed it into neighboring Odisha — only for local authorities there to force it back due to safety concerns.

Even specialist wildlife teams rushed in from other districts were unable to contain the situation. One expert was fatally injured while attempting to manage the animal, underscoring just how dangerous the operation has become.

Wildlife officials believe the elephant is a sub-adult male experiencing musth — a highly aggressive hormonal phase — which can cause extreme and unpredictable behavior. Some experts think the animal may be disoriented and trying to find its mother’s herd, while others believe it is in a mating phase, according to BBC News.

With the elephant still at large, authorities remain on high alert as search teams race against time to track it down and subdue it — before more lives are lost.