In a shocking incident an adult tusker was shot dead in Betla range exposing all the claims of a round-the-clock patrolling of the prestigious range of Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR), which has in all eight ranges.
Sources said this tusker was found dead with gunshot wound in a stream of water at lukum Kharn in Betla range. One of the tusks was found missing from the body of the elephant. Field Director of PTR MP Singh confirmed the incident and expressed anguish over it.
Sources said this tusker was identified because of its tusks as it must have raided fields of some aggressive farmers in the area. It was cut and stolen by the same brigand of people who got it killed, said sources.
The killing of this elephant has raised serious questions about the way ranges of PTR are patrolled and security and safety of wildlife is ensured. The forest guards, trekkers, foresters and rangers are said to be patrolling in the area round-the-clock and it seems improbable that no one would hear the gun shot.
This is the second casualty of elephant in PTR in just less than two months time. At latu forest one elephant was killed in a CPI Maoists' land mine blast. The gun killing of the elephant has resurfaced in PTR after a gap of 20 years.
Sources said there has been killing of elephant by all modes including poison, electrocution where elephants’ tusks came in touch with over head high tension wires etc. Indian railways too have been the great killer of elephants of PTR especially at Jawa bridge where while crossing railway tracks wheels of trains crushed them to death forcing PTR to prevail upon the railways to limit the speed of all is trains on Jawa bridge to 25 KMPH.
In mid nineties thieves had stolen 5 tusks kept in NIC Betla. The theft of 5 tusks then had created a big furor. Staffs of Nature Interpretation Centre (NIC) were quizzed and some were removed too.
However, the MCC (Maoists Communist Centre) ultras recovered all the five tusks by holding a public function in a forest in Balumath where these 5 stolen and recovered tusks were handed down to the PTR officials.