A carcass of a tusker with injury mark on its right thigh was spotted near a paddy field on Saturday morning in the Banki Forest Range under the Rourkela Forest Division.
Three elephants, including two tuskers, were moving in Dalkudar area under Panposh forest range and one tusker had come out of the herd, reached Thepatoli and was wrecking havoc there by eating and damaging crops. Locals of Thepatoli were panicky. On Friday night, the tusker had marched towards Faudatola village under Banki forest range and entered into a paddy field.
On Saturday morning, locals informed forest officials about the carcass lying near a paddy field at Faudatola behind an abandoned house. Rourkela Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Jashabanta Sethi and other forest officials including Banki forest range officer Ajay Seth reached the spot. A scientific team was also called to the spot. There was a deep cut mark on the thigh of his right leg. Blood stains were also found near the body of the deceased tusker whose age is about 20 years. Post mortem of the carcass was done on Saturday afternoon and later, it was buried there.
Forest officials suspected the owner of the farmland along with some locals might have killed the pachyderm with a spear. The Chandiposh Police and Banki forest officials have started a joint inquiry.