Regional Chief Conservator of Forests of the Kolhan Division, Smita Pankaj, described the deaths as a “mystery”. Officials are trying to establish the exact cause of these deaths, she said.

Incidentally, several elephants have died in Chaibasa due to different reasons in recent years. Some were killed in IED blasts, some died due to electrocution, while many were mowed down by speeding trains.

Earlier, at least four elephants were killed in separate IED blasts in the Saranda forest within three months; three of them died during treatment, while another was found dead in the jungle.

According to an estimate, around 60–65 Maoists are believed to be hiding in the Saranda jungles, where they have planted thousands of IEDs. This has become a challenge for security forces and poses a potential threat to wildlife as well.

In July this year, a wild elephant was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the Serengasia valley of Chaibasa. Locals claimed the elephant died of electrocution.

Earlier, as many as five elephants died of electrocution together after coming in contact with a 33,000-volt overhead wire in the jungles of Musabani under Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum district in November 2023. Two wild elephants also died due to electrocution in the region on November 1 and November 2, 2023.

In July 2019, an adult tusker died after coming in contact with an 11,000-volt overhead transmission line at Khalarisai village in the Kharswan forest division of Jharkhand.

Earlier, two tuskers died of electrocution in 2017–18 and 2018–19 each. In 2016–17, two elephants died after a speeding train ran over them while they were crossing the railway line.