A wild elephant on rampage for the last few days in Bhagalpur district of Bihar has trampled four more persons to death and seriously injured three others, police said today.
The total toll so far stands at six as the untamed pachyderm had killed two persons on Thursday night in the district.
Bhagalpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vivek Kumar said the jumbo strayed into a mango orchard at Fatehpur village under Sabour police station late last night and crushed four persons to death.
"The deceased have been identified as Prasadi Tanti (70), Makho Devi (75), Srishti Devi (72) and Mohammad Ehsan (15). They were guarding the fruit-laden mango trees. Three others were injured in the attack," Kumar said.
The injured have been admitted to Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur city.
Earlier, the wild beast had killed a woman Aarti Devi (65), a resident of Dayalpur village under Aantichak police station on Thursday night, while she was taking meal for her husband, who was working in an agricultural field.
In another incident, the jumbo had barged into the thatched house of one Prithvi Yadav (60) at Sofli village under Eksari police station and crushed him to death.
Meanwhile, state forest department officials have arrived at Bhagalpur to take stock of the situation and chase the elephant away.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) S S Chaudhary said "This is a male jumbo and has strayed into Bihar from Jharkhand taking the Sahebganj corridor towards Bhagalpur.
As per our information, it is now going back to its habitat and is around 10 km from Jharkhand border. We hope it will return without causing any further damage."
Chaudhary said straying of tuskers was a normal happening during their mating season, which was currently underway.
Shooters have been called as a precautionary measure to rein in the animal if it created further havoc, he added.
