RANCHI: The IEDs allegedly planted by Maoists in the Saranda jungles of Chaibasa are no longer a challenge only for security forces, they have now become a potential threat to wild animals as well. A six-year-old elephant has been found roaming in the Saranda jungles, suspected to have been injured by one of these explosive devices.
The suspicion has grown stronger after the elephant was found with a wound on its left hind leg, which was badly swollen. Those who spotted the elephant said it was seen splashing water on its wound, indicating it was in deep pain.
According to local sources, the incident allegedly took place between June 24 and 26. The injured elephant was last seen on 27 June near the Digha area of Saranda.
Forest officials also confirmed that the elephant had been injured, although the cause of the injury is yet to be ascertained.
“It was reported on June 27 that an elephant has been found injured in the jungles, but after that, it disappeared into the dense forests of Saranda, following which it was being monitored closely. Today, we have located the elephant and the process to rescue it has been started,” said Saranda Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Aviroop Sinha. The cause of the injury will be confirmed only after medical examination, once the elephant is recovered, he added.
The DFO further informed that local villagers actively participated and fully cooperated in the rescue of the wild elephant.
“Meanwhile, expert medical help is being provided to the elephant. Help from Vantara will also be taken, if required,” said the DFO.
Wildlife experts, however, said that the possibility of an IED explosion could not be ruled out, as the elephant had been hit on its hind limb.
“Since the Maoists have also started using capsule IEDs, which have very limited impact, the possibility of the elephant being injured by one of those cannot be ruled out,” said a wildlife expert, requesting anonymity.
Notably, Maoists are now allegedly restricted only to the Saranda jungles in Jharkhand, having been eliminated from other pockets of the state. According to estimates, around 85–90 Maoists are believed to be hiding in the Saranda jungles, where they have allegedly planted thousands of IEDs, posing a serious challenge to security forces.
The state police launched a joint operation in the Kolhan jungles in November 2022 after receiving a tip-off that some senior Maoist leaders, including Misir Besra and Patiram Majhi alias Anal Da, were hiding in that forest stretch, which is said to be strategically important.
Since November 2022, at least six security personnel have lost their lives while 20 others were critically injured, in addition to the deaths of nearly 22 civilians and critical injuries to over a dozen more in IED blasts allegedly triggered by Maoists in the jungles of Chaibasa.