Two rangers suspended, six nabbed for Athagarh elephant deaths in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR:  Two forest rangers were placed under suspension while six persons including a forest guard and three watchers were arrested in Athagarh forest division which has been facing backlash for the last one week over death and burial of two elephants in Baramba range.

Senior officials of the Wildlife wing said they have also booked two foresters from the division under Wildlife (Protection) Act and they will be arrested soon for the lapses on their part in protecting the gentle giants.

Baramba ranger Suresh Kumar Sarangi faced suspension in connection with the death and burial of the two elephants, while Khuntuni ranger Gajendra Pal Singh Mathur has been suspended for ‘unsatisfactory performance’ and other irregularities at field level, informed a senior forest officer.

He said that apart from these two rangers, a forest guard, three watchers and two locals, including the owner of the land where one of the two carcasses was exhumed, have been arrested on different charges including electrocuting and burying the elephants and trying to suppress the incidents.

While two of the six accused had been arrested on Thursday, the remaining were arrested on Friday and produced in local court. The two foresters are still at large and efforts are on to apprehend them. Notably, the STF had exhumed the carcasses of two elephants including a tusker in two separate incidents on June 2 and 3. The elephants were electrocuted to death and their bodies were buried to suppress the information. During investigation, the department had also found involvement of the forest staff of the division in hiding information regarding the death of the elephants.

Meanwhile, RCCF Angul M Jogajayananda said the matter is being investigated at a higher level and those found guilty will face stern action. He added that the treatment of the sub-adult male tusker in Narasinghpur East range is continuing and a team from the Centre for Wildlife Health at OUAT will visit the spot on Saturday to examine its health condition.

Tests carried out on immobile tusker
Angul: Satkosia forest personnel on Friday extended treatment to an adult male tusker which has been lying immobile near Jukub village under Pampasar forest range of the sanctuary. While locals spotted the animal lying motionless on Thursday, it is not yet known for how long it was stranded.  Official sources said the elephant is around 25 years old.The veterinary doctor, who accompanied the forest team, said no wound was detected on the tusker’s body and its blood samples were found to be normal after testing. DFO Saroja Panda said the cause of the animal’s immobility has not been ascertained till now. “All tests done on the elephant were found to be normal. I had a talk with the higher-ups and we have decided to call doctors from OUAT Bhubaneswar to examine the tusker.”

Jumbo calf rescued from well
Berhampur: A baby elephant was rescued from a well near Jiringipada village by forests sleuths of Phiringia range in Kandhamal district on Thursday.Officials sources said the jumbo calf was part of a seven-member herd which was roaming in the forest since last week and fell into the well while the animals were passing through the village. Villagers spotted the baby elephant and informed the forest personnel who initiated a rescue operation immediately. Ranger Bijay Kumar Mallick said the jumbo calf was rescued with help of a JCB machine after several hours and redirected to the nearby forest along with other herd members. In another incident, an elephant herd strayed into Bhurtapada village under Kantamal block in Boudh district.  The pachyderms damaged four houses while searching for food and attacked a 25-year-old youth Krushna Rana. On hearing Rana’s screams, locals reached the spot and rushed him to a nearby hospital.