Tusker succumbs to bullet wounds

Odisha Channel Bureau Dhenkanal, Nov 28: A 15-year-old male elephant succumbed to bullet injuries near Kandhara village under Kamakhyanagar forest range today.The tusker, believed to have sustained gunshot wounds on its thigh about 20 days ago, had sneaked to Dhenkanal forest division on Thursday from Sukinda range under Cuttack division.Poachers had fired at the tusker in order to kill the tusker were suspected to have fired at him.Confirming the elephant’s death, Divisional Forest Officer of Dhenkanal Pradip Kumar Sahu said that post mortem report confirmed that the death of the tusker was due to bullet injuries.“Just one day ago the injured tusker was spotted at Kandhara hamlet on the boarder of Dhenkanal and Jajpur district in a very serious condition.He was very weak and had a frail health.It was not even able to walk properly.However, our range staff treated the tusker with the help of the veterinary doctors from Nandankanan but the elephant succumbed to the injuries this morning.” said Sahu.Sahu informed that another tusker who also had sustained injuries on his body is now well after the treatment in that range areas.Meanwhile, the forest department authorities have become tough on the forest staff of Dhenkanal in the aftermath of the death of two elephant deaths due to electrocutions in Hindol range last week.Official source said that the range officer of Hindol forest range G.K.Mahanty has been placed under suspension and departmental proceedings had been initiated against two forest guards.A villager named Akula Naik was arrested in this electrocution charge and another two accused absconded, according to forest department officials.