Nilagiri: A tusker was found dead in the backyard of a villager at Baragadia under Nilagiri forest range in Balasore district, Monday. On being informed, forest officials rushed to the spot and started an investigation. However, they failed to ascertain the actual reason behind the animal’s death. Locals suspect that the animal might have died due to food poisoning while the forest officials doubt it might have died due to old-age related problems.
Veterinarians conducted a post-mortem of the animal and cut the tusk in the presence of forest ranger Ganesh Prasad Lenka and other forest officials before burying the carcass at the spot. The matter came to the fore after family members of a villager Purushottam Singh and his neighbours spotted the carcass of the animal lying in his backyard.
A Forest official said the animal is from Kuldiha sanctuary and was staying for long in Tinkoshia, Gopalpur and Ayodhya jungles adjoining the sanctuary. The animal used to stray into nearby human habitats at night and destroy properties and crops of residents. It had trampled a youth of Baragadia village to death in Naranpur village in May
