An elephant died a tragic death after wreathing in pain for about 15 days in Bharatpur jungle on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
The elephant reportedly swallowed a crude bomb suspected to be planted by poachers to hunt wild boars 15 days back. It was seriously injured after the bomb exploded. The injured elephant was spotted by forest department officials yesterday.
Veterinary doctors from Nandankanan and OUAT were treating the injured animal in the jungle but it succumbed on Monday night. The elephant’s tongue was severed and its jaw was shattered in the bomb blast.
It is suspected that the elephant might have strayed into Bharatput jungle from Khordha area.
Asked about the death, Odisha PCCF, Sushant Nanda said, “The injured elephant was found 15 days back in Chandaka sanctuary. It came from Khordha area with an elephant herd. It seemed it has swallowed a bomb planted by wild boar poachers which exploded in its mouth injuring it fatally.”
“The elephant was being treated. However, the animal could not survive and died last night. A post mortem is being conducted on the elephant. We will launch a probe to ascertain in what circumstances it swallowed the bomb and who are involved in planting it,” Nanda said.
Recently, an elephant was found dead in the Hatikulia section under the Mangalpur beat house of the Kuldiha sanctuary. As per reports, the carcass of the animal was reportedly discovered some days after its death even though patrolling in the area is being carried out.
A forester and a guard were suspended following an investigation into the tusker death.
Similarly, another elephant had died while undergoing treatment in the Khairamunda Gaon reserve forest under the Mahabirod range of Dhenkanal district in November 2023.
Its death came just four days after an elephant was found dead in the Telkoi range of Keonjhar district. It was learned that the animal had died after coming in contact with a high-tension electricity wire which was laid by some poachers to kill wild boars.