The tusker, which was rescued on Thursday from a 30-feet ditch in Dhobatola village in Mayurbhanj district following a two-day-long attempt, died on Friday evening.
Forest officials said the elephant had broken its two hind legs while falling into the 30-feet dry and rocky ditch on Tuesday night. The tusker was shifted to Baripada for treatment on Thursday.“Exhaustion and dehydration, coupled with the broken legs, could be the reason for its death,” a forest official said. An elephant expert from Nandanakanan and two OUAT doctors were treating the pachyderm.The tusker would be cremated after a postmortem on Saturday morning, informed DFO Sanjay Swain.