Odisha elephant death mystery: Mutilated carcass recovered from buried pit in Kalahandi; probe deepens

Investigations into the disappearance and death of an elephant from Kandhamal district took a serious turn with officials recovering mutilated body parts buried near a dam in Odisha's Kalahandi, indicating an alleged attempt to conceal the incident.

As per reports, the decomposed carcass of the elephant, which went missing from the Baliguda forest division area in Kandhamal, was recovered from near a dam in Kesinga tehsil of Kalahandi district on Tuesday. The body was exhumed from nearly seven feet below the ground and was found in a fragmented condition. Body parts including the trunk, neck and other portions, were recovered.

During further investigation, officials unearthed large chunks of elephant meat and skin buried at Kadapana nursery as well.

Location Linked To Suspended Ranger

Notably, the recovery site is located near a dam close to the residence of suspended forest ranger Binay Kumar Bisi at Kantesir. The ranger is reportedly under suspension in connection with the case.

Following the recovery, the elephant carcass was sent for post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death and other related details.

Questions Over Death And Concealment

The latest findings raised serious questions over the circumstances leading to the elephant’s death and the alleged effort to hide the body by chopping it into pieces and burying them at multiple locations. Investigators are examining why such steps were taken and who all were involved in the incident.

Forest department officials said a detailed investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events and fix responsibility.

Background Of The Case

The incident came to light after reports emerged that an elephant had died in the Belghar forest range under the Baliguda forest division in Kandhamal district on January 5, and that its carcass was allegedly cut into pieces and buried elsewhere.

Also Read: ‘Elephant carcass cut into pieces, buried!’ Odisha DFO confirms reports

Following preliminary verification, the Baliguda Divisional Forest Officer confirmed the incident, leading to suspensions and a formal investigation into the role of forest personnel tasked with wildlife protection.