Ranchi, March 30 : A herd of wild elephants has unleashed havoc in Jharkhand's Gumla and Simdega districts, claiming seven lives in the past four days.

On Sunday, an elephant trampled two people to death in Gumla, while another individual sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

In the latest attack, 45-year-old James Kujur, who had gone to collect Mahua in the Derangdih Ambakona forest in the Raidih police station area, was crushed to death early in the morning. His mutilated body was later recovered by police and Forest Department officials.

In another incident, an elephant wrapped 73-year-old Climate Ekka in its trunk and slammed him to the ground near his house in Albert Ekka block. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries.

The rampaging jumbo then moved to the neighbouring village of Jarmana, where it trampled 50-year-old Arvind Singh Rajawat, who had gone to the fields early in the morning. He sustained serious injuries.

The terror began on Thursday when a wild elephant killed three people in the Simdega district. On that night, Vikas Ohdar, who was sleeping outside his house in Buruirgi Debotoli, was trampled to death.

On Friday morning, Sibiya Lugun, 45, was killed in a similar attack in Jamang village in the Bano police station area.

In Gumla, Christopher Ekka was killed in Bardih-Devgaon of Palkot police station area while he was out in the fields on Friday.

The same day, Hemvati Devi was fatally trampled in Tetartoli village while extracting lac from a plant.

According to villagers, two or three elephants have strayed from their herd and have been rampaging through settlements in Gumla and Simdega districts for the past few days, destroying homes and spreading panic.

Despite attempts to scare them away using torches and drums, the pachyderms remain undeterred. The Forest Department has been making public announcements, urging people to stay alert.

Decisive action from authorities to control the situation is awaited.

/IANS