JAMSHEDPUR, April 23 -- The Jharkhand government has initiated a key change in the compensation policy for the victims dying in elephant attacks under which the compensation amount has been proposed to be hiked to Rs.10 lakh from existing Rs.4 lakh, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday. The revelation came to the fore after the Jharkhand Krantikari Loktantrik Morcha (JKLM) MLA from Dumri Jairam Mahto made a social media post to this effect on Tuesday. "A draft proposal for increasing the compensation amount for the humans dying in the elephant attacks and their families has been prepared. This is being sent to the state Cabinet for its approval before notification," Ravi Ranjan, Jharkhand principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF, wildlife), told HT on Wednesday. According to the forest department records, 218 persons have lost their lives in elephant attacks across Jharkhand during the past two years while 35 elephants have died in different incidents like electrocution and train runovers etc. A total of 81 persons died in elephant attacks during 2024-25 while 137 persons died in elephant attacks in Jharkhand in 2025-26 (upto February). A total of 19 elephants had died in 2024-25 while 17 elephants lost their lives in 2025-26 (upto March). "The state government has prepared a proposal under which the compensation amount for the persons dying in elephant attacks has now been increased to Rs.10 lakh in place of current Rs.4 lakh. In addition, the victim families will be given financial assistance of Rs.2,000 per month," Jairam Mahto has posted on X. "This issue was first raised in the Jharkhand Assembly by MLA Amit Yadav during the winter session, demanding security to the villagers and increasing the compensation amount for the dependents of the deceased. Amit Yadav couldn't be present in the house during the discussion on the issue for some personal reasons and had requested me to place his stand in the house on his behalf. I had vociferously debated the matter and requested the government to increase the compensation amount. A positive result has of that efforts has now come," the Dumri MLA has stated in his post. Two persons -- 32-yr-old Rajkumar Majhi and 12-yr-old Lavkush from Fatehpur village in Bihar were trampled to death by wild elephants on Tuesday night near Kanjhiadih village under Jainagar police station in Koderma district of Jharkhand. At least seven persons have lost their lives in elephant attacks in Koderma in past one month. The incident happened when an elephant herd attacked a brick kiln in Kanjhiadih, injuring three more persons - Rajkumar Majhi's wife, Lavkush's mother and another children. Ten persons have been killed in elephant attacks in Bokaro-Ramgarh areas in last two months while nearly 30 have been killed in elephant attacks in West Singhbhum district since January 1,2026. A single rogue elephant had killed 22 people between January 1 and 21, forcing the forest department to declare an 'elephant emergency' in Kolhan and Porahat Forest divisions in West Singhbhum district....