NTCA seeks report on TATR officer’s death in jumbo attack

Chandrapur: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has sought a detailed report on the death of senior Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in elephant attack in the first week of May.
An aggressive jumbo Gajraj had killed chief accountant attached to head office of TATR, Pramod Gaurkar, in Botezari area in the core zone of the reserve on May 6.
Demanding inquiry into the matter, NGO Prakruti Foundation had raised question over the presence of the officer in forest and the circumstances which led to his death.
Tadoba officials had claimed that Gaurkar, accompanying ACF Ravindra Kulkarni, was on a visit to Botezari area on May 6. On the way, their vehicle got stuck in mud. As the officials were trying to pull the vehicle out, the aggressive elephant charged at Kulkarni and Gaurkar. While Kulkarni escaped with minor bruises, Gaurkar was crushed and killed by the pachyderm.
Claiming that the incident was result of human error, Prakruti Foundation president Deepak Dixit had demanded inquiry and action against those responsible for the officer’s death.
In a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Dixit had questioned how did accountant Gaurkar go to the field while he was off duty due to curtailment of staff at office following Covid restrictions. He also alleged that the officials on field were under the influence of liquor and they had intentionally tried to go near the aggressive elephant.
Dixit had demanded inquiry into the case by CCF-rank officer other than those attached to TATR. The copy of the letter was also sent to NTCA head office. Based on Dixit’s complaint, deputy inspector general of forest (NTCA), Rajendra Garawad, on Wednesday, issued a letter to chief wildlife warden of Maharashtra seeking the report.