With poachers being active, elephants are not safe in Keonjhar district in spite of the fact that a huge amount of money is spent on wildlife conservation across the State.
On Friday, a female elephant calf was found dead at Tangarbahal forest in Barabanki reserve forest under Sadar range of Keonjhar Forest Division.
Sources revealed that on Friday morning, some villagers of Tangarbahal village who had gone to the nearby forest to collect mushrooms found a jumbo laying dead and observed a deep mark on the side of hind leg of the carcass and after inquiry it was known that the poachers had fired targetting at the tusker of the herd but by mistake it hit the female elephant calf.
The forest officials disposed of the carcass by declaring that the elephant died due to unknown reasons. Sources further revealed that as per the guidelines of wildlife conservation, in case of late detection of a dead elephant, it is the duty of the concerned DFO to immidiately inform to the RCCF and the PCCF (Wild Life) and immediately reach at the site for spot inspection and take the help local block Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (VAS) to conduct post mortem. But in this sensational case, DFO Ajit Sarangi made the issue more suspicious and controversial by deputing Ghanshyam Mahanta, the controversial ACF, who buried the carcass without informing the local block Veterinary Assistant Surgeon who could have revealed the actual cause of death.
It is discussed that due to alleged lapses of duty of Ghanashyam Mahanta during his tenure as the Range Officer of Raiguda under Satkoshia Wild Life Division in Angul district, tigress Sundaree had died in the year 2017-18 for which he had to remain on leave for a long period.
Now it is discussed among the locals that due to poachers - officers nexus , Ghanashyam disposed of the carcass in a supicious manner. Meanwhile, a highlevel inquiry is demanded into the entire incident.