KEONJHAR: When the State has come under scanner for rising elephant deaths, another body of a jumbo has been spotted in Kalapat forest reserve under the Telkol Range. The body of the elephant was spotted by the villagers on Saturday when they had gone into the forest to collect firewood, and they immediately reported to the forest officials. Forest officials rushed to the spot but the cause of the death is not clear because it appears a herd of elephants is standing guard next to the dead jumbo.
The death of the elephant has again raised questions about elephant protection in the district, when the forest department had been tracking the movement of the gentle giants. In 2022-23, seven elephant deaths were reported in the Keonjhar Forest Division. After a tusker was shot dead with multiple pellets and carcasses of elephants were exhumed in Athagarh Forest Division recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) came down heavily on the State government and directed to take stringent action and submit an action taken plan.