CUTTACK: The carcass of an elephant with the anterior of its head cut off was found in the Badamba forest range under Athagarh Forest Division in what is believed to be yet another chilling story of poaching in the state.
Bizzare as it may sound, the jumbo is believed to have died four to five days back in Haladiasuni reserve forest but the forest officials had no inkling of it till yesterday. Only last night did a team find out about the location from the locals and traced the tusk-less carcass.
Post mortem of the young tusker aged between 15 and 18 years was conducted by local veterinary surgeons of Maniabandha and Gopapur on Wednesday. Sources said heavy tools were used to cut the tusks by the poachers.
“It is certain that unscrupulous persons took away the elephant’s tusks by using axe-like tools to cut part of the head. Though it is suspected that the elephant was killed and its tusks removed, we cannot confirm how it happened. We are awaiting the autopsy report to ascertain the cause of death,” said a forest official.
Though locals had informed forest officials about the poaching of the tusker on Tuesday, the forest staff started searching for the carcass on Wednesday while avoiding the media. The late recovery of the carcass has raised questions over the efficacy of patrolling conducted by forest personnel in the area.
“Despite being fully aware that it is a sensitive area, Athagarh Forest Division officials were not vigilant. The missing tusks clearly point to the involvement of professional players,” said sources.
Efforts to contact Athagarh DFO JD Pati proved futile as his mobile phone was switched off for the last two days, while local forest officials including Badamba Range Officer Subrat Behera refused to comment.
On January 14, an adult tusker was electrocuted to death after it came in contact with an electricity line passing through GI wires illegally fenced around a sugarcane field near Kaduanuagan village under the Khuntuni range of Athagarh forest division.