Forest Department Issues Elephant Alert for Gomia in Bokaro; Two Herds Spotted

Villagers in Mahuatand, Jageshwar and Barkhi Punnu Areas Advised to Stay Indoors

Key Points:

• Two separate elephant herds spotted near Jageshwar and Gangpur-Dharmpur in Gomia
• Forest department issues alert asking villagers to stay indoors unless emergency
• QRT team deployed; residents advised to take shelter in pucca houses only

BOKARO – The Forest Department has issued a high-alert warning for the Gomia area of Bokaro district after two separate elephant herds were sighted in the region. Villagers across several areas have been urged to exercise extreme caution.

According to the department’s alert, the first herd was spotted near Jageshwar. The second herd was seen in the vicinity of Gangpur and Dharmpur.

Residents of villages near Mahuatand, Jageshwar, and Barkhi Punnu have been specifically put on alert. The department has requested all surrounding village communities to remain fully vigilant.

The Forest Department has also issued a set of mandatory safety instructions for residents. People have been told not to step out of their homes unless there is an urgent necessity or a genuine emergency situation.

In addition, residents have been advised to take shelter only inside pucca houses or on their rooftops. Staying in temporary or makeshift structures during an elephant sighting has been discouraged.

The department has also asked villagers not to panic if an elephant is spotted near their settlement or home. Panicking in such situations can escalate the danger, officials said.

For any emergency assistance, residents have been directed to immediately contact the Forest Department’s Quick Response Team. Elephant attacks have claimed lives in Jharkhand in recent months, making such alerts critically important.

Meanwhile, the QRT team has been deployed in the affected areas. Forest officials are actively monitoring the movement of both elephant herds to prevent any untoward incidents.

Elephant movement in the Bokaro-Hazaribagh belt has been a recurring concern for authorities. Herds have previously disrupted train services and caused damage to crops and property across Jharkhand’s forest fringe villages.

The Bokaro district administration is coordinating with the Forest Department to ensure round-the-clock surveillance in the affected zones. Villagers have been urged to report any elephant sighting immediately to the authorities.