Baripada: A female elephant that was undergoing treatment after allegedly consuming explosive-laced food, succumbed to its injuries Saturday, raising serious questions about wildlife security and the Forest Department’s response.
Animal activists alleged that the forest department attempted to suppress information about the death.
Wildlife activists expressed anger, alleging no concrete action was taken against those responsible for the tusker’s condition. The incident occurred when a herd was moving through parts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, during which the injured elephant was seen roaming in a critical state. Unable to eat or drink, the animal was reportedly running in distress.
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Forest officials tranquilized and rescued the elephant December 11 and shifted it to the Kanachhinda veterinary facility under the Talabandha forest range of the Similipal North Division tiger reserve. The elephant was treated by two veterinarians, officials said.
Reacting to the incident, animal rights activist Sanjukta Basa said the episode reflected a grim reality of human-animal conflict, where humans had “won at the cost of humanity.” She demanded strict action against those involved in such inhuman acts.
However, Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) and Similipal Tiger Reserve Field Director Prakash Chandra Gogineni said there was no confirmation yet that the case involved explosives or explosives-related material. He said an intelligence team has been deployed to investigate the cause of death.
“Action will be taken after the postmortem report is received,” he said, adding that the investigation is continuing.