Baripada: The three forest officials suspended for their bid to conceal the poaching of a tusker in Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district and their subsequent attempts to destroy evidence by burning its carcass have reportedly admitted to their crime before a probe team Monday. During probe, the suspended officials including forester-cum-range in-charge Shiba Shankar Samal, forester Chandrabhanu Behera and guard Binod Das admitted to their guilt, regional wildlife field director T Ashok Kumar informed.
Action will be taken against them and other officials who are found involved in the incident, he added. It is suspected that the poachers might have helped the forest officials in burning the carcass.
Allegedly after burning the carcass, the officials had buried some portions and thrown into the river the remaining part. “All involved in the matter will be brought under the ambit of the probe,” an official of the investigating team said. Notably, the Similipal sanctuary is the second-largest biosphere reserve in Asia. Despite the fact, the population of elephants is dwindling here. Poaching and lax security are among the main factors responsible for the deaths of elephants. About a fortnight ago, an elephant was poached in Gurandia section under Jenabila range of Similipal. The poachers had decamped with their tusks.
Forest department officials engaged in the area had tried to hide the matter by destroying evidence including the burning of the carcass. Local residents had informed the deputy director of the Similipal sanctuary about the incident. Since then investigations are on.
CCF Manoj Nayar from the office of the PCCF in Bhubaneswar and a team of over 50 officials have reached the spot and are conducting an investigation into the matter. They have also found parts of the burnt carcass. Honorary wildlife warden Bibekananda Pattnaik alleged that more than three people must have been involved in the burning of the elephant carcass. “I think the poachers helped the forest department officials,” he said. Former honorary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya said the pachyderm numbers are dwindling in the sanctuary as the poachers have been able to break through the security ring set up for the range.
