Rourkela: Forest department officials today cremated the carcass of an ageing elephant and recovered its two tusks in Odisha's Sundergarh district.
The forest officials found the dead animal near a hill. The male elephant belonged to a herd which had total eight elephants. The department was keeping an eye on the movement of the herd since 25th of this month.
On 26th night the department received the information that one elephant was missing from the herd. This jumbo was heading towards Gurundia, after it got out of the herd.
However, the department received information, on the night of January 28, that a dead elephant was lying on the Raikala Hill range. Soon, a team was dispatched to spot the body and found the body.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFP) Bonai, S K Banchera reached the spot and took possession of the body. The post-mortem on the body revealed that the deceased elephant was over 40 years old and died due to old age.
The department officials also recovered two tusks measuring 67 and 70 cm respectively, the DFO said.