A 30-year-old tusker was killed near the Sipakuda village forest area under the Rambha Wildlife Range in Ganjam district on Tuesday. After the postmortem, the jumbo was buried near the spot.
According to reports, a few miscreants were trying to take away one of the tusks after the death of the jumbo, but they ran away from the place throwing the tusk when the locals saw them, said sources.
It was suspected that the elephant was electrocuted. “As most of the farmers have lift irrigation points in their agricultural lands, the elephant might have been killed by giving poison or by giving electric shock,” said Rambha Range Officer (Wildlife) Purna Chandra Guru.
Notably, the tusker was roaming around the area alone after six elephants were mowed down by a train on December 29 last year.