With elephants claiming almost as many lives as Maoists, rampaging herds are becoming a jumbo issue in the Jharkhand parliamentary elections.

In a state that boasts of a 30 per cent forest cover, the human-animal conflict is of paramount concern, with the local people saying the enviable green cover spells doom for them. The forests hide Maoist guerrillas and harbour elephants.

Over the last eight years, Maoist-related violence has claimed 1,500 lives — 800 civilians and 700 security personnel and Maoist rebels. In the same period, marauding elephants have trampled to death more than 700 people.

And people say they have had enough.

"For us, the elephant menace is the first issue of the elections. Price hike, development, law and order and other issues are secondary," an angry Sohrai Mahto, a resident of the Silli block in Ranchi, told IANS.

Added Raj Dhanwar Munda of West Singhbhum district: "Our lives are at risk due to rampaging elephants. Elephants regularly venture into villages, destroy houses, damage standing crops and trample people to death."

"If we have to choose between killing Maoist rebels and elephants, we will prefer elephants. Elephants not only kill but also affect our economy by destroying our houses and damaging standing crops," Ganesh Baitha of the Silli block said.

In many villages, people spend their nights on trees in fear, there have been cases of women delivering babies in makeshift tree houses, and people spend hours lighting fires and drumming instruments to keep tuskers at bay.