A carcass of a tusker was found near Nimakhandi under the Digapahandi Forest Range in Ganjam district on Sunday morning. Locals spotted the carcass lying in a pool of blood and informed Forest Department officials about it.
Though the reason behind the death of the pachyderm was yet to be ascertained, it was suspected that the animal died after sustaining bullet injuries on its head. So, the tusker’s death was believed to be the handiwork of poachers of wildlife.
Forest officials reached the spot and started a probe into the incident.