BHUBANESWAR/ATHAGARH : One more elephant on Friday fell to pellet injuries in Athagarh forest division where an SIT investigation is underway into a spate of jumbo death cover-ups. This is the second such incident in the division in less than two months. The tusker, aged around 25 years, had sustained multiple pellet injuries on its ear and head. It died due to septicemia leading to multiple organ failure, informed a senior forest official.
The wounded elephant was first sighted in Narasinghpur East range on Tuesday. Though a team from Satkosia was sent to tranquillise the jumbo and start necessary treatment, it couldn’t be done as the pachyderm was in musth state. The team also failed to dart the tusker in its second attempt on Wednesday. However on Thursday, the elephant was tranquillised in Nuagarh reserve forest of Narasinghpur West range.
The ailing tusker was treated by wildlife veterinary doctor from Satkosia Kishore Mishra and his team in presence of Athagarh DFO Sudarsan Gopinath Jadav, ACF Ghanashyam Muduli, Narsinghpur VS Bijaya Senapati, range officer Prafulla Dehury and others. The veterinary doctors reportedly found the pellets in the tusker’s body and started treatment as per the protocol. It, however, proved ineffective as the jumbo died on Friday.
On June 14, an elephant had died due to pellet injuries in the forests of Narasinghpur after battling for life for almost three weeks. Following the incident, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had asked the State Forest department to probe the incident and take strict action as per the provisions of Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The Athagarh division is in the eye of a storm over multiple cases of elephant death cover-ups this year. At least three forest ranger officers have been placed under suspension and four forest staff arrested in this connection.
RCCF, Angul M Yogajayanand said while prime accused, who is the owner of an orchard, is absconding, his associates have been arrested in connection with the elephant death on June 14. The RCCF said a probe has been launched to trace the persons responsible for the tusker’s death case. “A thorough investigation will be carried out and strict action taken against those found involved,” he added.