Keonjhar: There is no letup in elephant deaths in Keonjhar as forest officials recovered the carcass of yet another tusker from a jungle under Telkoi forest range in the district, Sunday. The animal was found to be aged eight when forest officials recovered the carcass. However, the forest department is yet to ascertain the actual reason behind the jumbo death. It is suspected that it might have been electrocuted after coming in contact with live wires laid on the ground for poaching and to prevent wild animals from straying into farmlands and destroying standing crops.
Reports said that two herds comprising over 25 elephants are roaming in the area. The matter came to the fore after locals spotted the tusker lying dead on farmland near Nilapasi Mundasahi in Akula village under Bimala forest beat about 13 km from Telkoi forest range and informed the forest officials.
On being informed, forest officials rushed to the spot while a joint task force launched an investigation. A team of veterinarians were also pressed into service to conduct a post-mortem. When contacted, Telkoi ranger Shivaji Mohan Rao said locals were being questioned and the circumstantial evidence examined. The actual reason behind the jumbo death could be ascertained only after the post-mortem report is available, he said.
Notably, as many as four elephants have died in the last one and a half months in the district. This is the second elephant fatality due to electrocution in the district within just 10 days as a tusker was electrocuted recently at Golabandha forest section in Keonjhar forest division, November 10.
