Forest officials confirmed the animal was severely injured, although the exact cause is still under investigation. However, wildlife experts have not ruled out an IED explosion as the cause, given the nature of the injury to the hind limb.“With Maoists now deploying capsule IEDs with limited impact, it’s possible the elephant was hurt by one of these devices,” said a wildlife expert on condition of anonymity.Notably, Maoist activity is now largely confined to the Saranda jungles of Jharkhand, having been driven out of most other parts of the state. Estimates suggest 85–90 Maoist insurgents are hiding in the region, which is reportedly littered with thousands of IEDs, posing a grave challenge for security personnel.Since the launch of a joint security operation in the Kolhan region in November 2022, following intelligence reports about the presence of senior Maoist leaders including Misir Besra and Patiram Majhi alias Anal Da, the area has witnessed intense conflict. The IED blasts triggered by Maoists have claimed the lives of six security personnel and around 22 civilians, leaving over 30 others critically injured.
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