Pallahara: Two days after the carcass of a tusker was recovered with its tusks missing at Badakhunturi forest under Khamar forest range in Pallahara block of Angul district, two forest officials were suspended while six men were detained Sunday.
Deogarh DFO Kartik Samtaray suspended forester Dibyalochan Patra and forest guard Kamalini Sahu for dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, the forest officials interrogated the six suspects while the main accused is on the run.
“A manhunt is on to nab the main accused and the missing tusks will be recovered soon,” Khamar ranger Ramchandra Sethy said.
Locals spotted the pachyderm’s carcass early Friday morning and reported the matter to the forest department.
Preliminary probe revealed that the pachyderm was killed by poachers for its tusks. The poachers had laid livewires to kill the elephant. The tusker was electrocuted after coming in contact with a livewire.
The incident had led to resentment among the villagers who accused the forest officials of negligence.
PNN
