Bolangir DFO’s statements on 'Gaja Sathi’ death lands Forest department in soup! 

The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bolangir on Monday termed the person, who died following an elephant attack on Sunday night, as a civilian contrary to his earlier statement on Sunday that the victim was an employee of the Forest department.

The duality in the DFO’s statements landed the Forest department in hot water, leaving several questions to be answered.  

As per sources, three persons were injured while driving away a tusker near Bandhanpali village of Dholamandal section under Kantabanji range in Bolangir district. They were para squad Prashant Naik, forest department staff Tareswar Rana and Rupesh Chhatria. 

Also Read: Forest department personnel dies in elephant attack in Odisha

Immediately after the incident, Lurky forester Sunil Chhatria informed the media that Rupesh was a ‘Gaja Sathi’.  Later, Bolangir DFO also clarified that all three injured persons were Forest department staff. 

“They had gone on elephant tracking duty. Suddenly, an elephant attacked them from behind. While two suffered injuries, one received minor injuries. They are undergoing treatment at Bolangir hospital,” DFO Sudarshan Behera had said on Sunday night.  

However, Rupesh breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir. 

Even after Rupesh’s death, Lurky forester Sunil Chhatria mentioned the former as a ‘Gaja Sathi’.

“Rupesh had been appointed as a ‘Gaja Sathi’,” Lurky forester Sunil Chhatria had said on Sunday night.

On the other hand, DFO Behera on Monday said, “He was not a ‘Gaja Sathi’. He was a common man and he died while undergoing treatment.”

When asked about Lurky Forester’s claim, DFO Behera said things will be clear after a probe. 

As of now while forester Sunil Chhatria has distanced himself from the media, deceased Rupesh’s cousin brother Anil Chhatria said, “Rupesh had gone with him to drive the elephant. In the process, an elephant attacked them. The elephant had crushed Rupesh under its feet.”

After the DFO claimed the deceased Rupesh as a civilian, several questions have emerged as to whether Rupesh was engaged by the Forest department to drive an elephant? If yes, who engaged him? Why Lurky forestor, who is a cousin brother of Rupesh, mentioned the latter as ‘Gaja Sathi’ yesterday? On what basis, the DFO identified Rupesh as a forest department staff on Sunday?

Meanwhile, words are doing rounds that Rupesh was doing proxy duty for his cousin brother Sunil Chhatria.