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In today’s episode of “Dang Nature, You Scary!” a bull elephant remains on the loose in the small town of Chaibasa in Indiana after killing nearly two-dozen people and injuring several more.
According to a report from TMZ, the elephant first attacked at random on New Year’s Day. A couple and their two children were trampled to death in their sleep. Sadly, the number of victims has only continued to rise, and efforts to subdue and kill the animal have thus far been fruitless.
A killer elephant — who is at-large — has left a total of 22 people dead over a 10 day period in India.
Details: https://t.co/Q3njFcHsgJ
🎥: TIM pic.twitter.com/NzXY48gI4d
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 19, 2026
Local Officials Struggle To Deal With Rampaging Elephant In India
“This is an unprecedented situation. It’s the first time such a pattern of fatalities has been linked to a single male elephant in the region,” Kuldeep Meena, the divisional forest officer, said of the attacks via the BBC.
Meena also stated that, if possible, officials would trace, capture, and safely return the animal to the wild rather than killing it. However, they may be left with little in the way of options.
Asian bull elephants typically grow anywhere from six to 12 feet tall and weigh between three to seven tons.
Officials told the BBC that this specific elephant is young, agile, and often changes its location during the night, making it difficult to track. Residents have been warned not to go outside or sleep outside during the night.
Meena also stated that an initial assessment suggested the animal could be in its mating phase, which often leads to heightened aggression in male elephants due to increased testosterone levels. The phase typically lasts between 15 and 20 days.
Officials also noted that the elephant may have strayed from its herd. If captured, the plan would then be to relocate the animal and allow it to rejoin other elephants in the forest.