Bokaro: : A 48-year-old woman was trampled to death by a herd of elephants in the Jageshwar forest area under Gomia block of the district on Sunday morning.The deceased has been identified as Takhini Devi. She had gone to the forest to collect mahua flowers when she reportedly encountered a herd of around 12 wild elephants moving through the area, a forest department official said. “The sudden encounter proved fatal as the elephants attacked her before locals could intervene,” forest officer Sundeep Shinde said.A forest department team rushed to the spot after receiving information and recovered the body, which was later sent to Tenughat Hospital for post-mortem. “An initial ex gratia assistance was also handed over to the bereaved family, while authorities assured that the remaining compensation would be provided as per govt norms after completion of formal procedures,” Shinde said.Following the incident, the forest department issued an alert across the Gomia range, warning residents against entering forest areas to collect mahua flowers or other activities. Villagers in adjoining areas have been advised to remain vigilant and avoid venturing outdoors during early morning and late in the evening.Officials said a quick response team (QRT) has been deployed to monitor the movement of the elephant herd, which continues to move in and around the Jageshwar forest belt, posing a persistent threat to human settlements nearby.