An eight-year-old tusker was found dead near Jamunabandha of Sudarsanpur village under Tigiria block on Friday morning.
Getting tips from nearby villagers, forest officials, including Athagarh DFO Arun Kumar Swain and Range Officer Gouragopal Si, reached the spot and started inquiring into the cause of death of the pachyderm. locals claimed the elephant was killed by poachers’ bullet as a hole was seen beneath its ear.
When under the guidance of OUAT Prof Niranjan Sahoo, a team of research students visited the spot and watched the postmortem work, they came to know that the animal also suffered from septicaemia. Veterinary surgeons made an autopsy of the elephant. Its tusks were recovered by the departmental officers.
locals said that recently the tusker moved in this area frequently with full energy and it couldn’t have died of any ailment. It was the poachers’ attempt to loot its tusks.
This incident is not new in the Athagarh Forest Division. Since the DFO remains away from the field, taking the opportunity almost all forest staffs are seen neglecting their duties, leaving the jungles as a haven for poachers and mafias. According to report, seven elephants have lost their lives in last seven months in this division.