Odisha government constitutes SIT to probe Athagarh elephant deaths

BHUBANESWAR: Faced with severe criticism over a series of elephant deaths under mysterious circumstances in the Athagarh forest division, the Odisha government on Thursday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incidents and supression of facts.

The three-member SIT headed by Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (Angul circle) will carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the deaths.

The team comprising Conservator of Forest (ET) and an officer of Special Task Force (STF) of Crime Branch not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police will also probe various angles such as alleged connivance of staff, criminal negligence and wilful concealment of facts. 

"The SIT will ascertain whether there are more such occurences in the division. They will go into details of forward and backward linkages and examine the involvement of inter-state organised wildlife crime syndicates in these cases," the terms of reference set for the panel stated.

The team, which will function under overall supervision of Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife), can co-opt any experts or scientific member in the committee. It has been asked to submit the detailed report after the investigation within one month.

The constitution of SIT by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change department came after skeletal remains of three elephants were recovered from the Athagarh forest division.

The carcass of a male tusker, suspected to have been killed and buried, was exhumed on Wednesday by forest officials near Kharada village within Baramba range where the STF of the Crime Branch had dug out remains of a male and a female elephant earlier this month.

The STF team had excavated skull and skeleton of two elephants at two different sites - one over revenue land of Bhaluabereni village adjacent to Talachandragiri reserve forest and the other over a private land of Mahatbandha village near Chandragiri reserve forest on June 2 and 3 respectively.

"The recovery of skull and skeleton of two elephants inside a single Beat area of one section in Badamba range indicates that there is a serious lapse by the departmental staff and it has given rise to allegations of their connivance and wilful concealment of facts," an office order of the Forest department read.

On Wednesday, taking cognisance of the deaths of elephants, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had asked the State government to take stringent action in the matter as per the provisions of Wildlife  Protection Act 1972 and submit an action taken report at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Wildlife Wing has already booked and arrested three watchers and a forest guard under the Wildlife Protection Act. Two foresters are absconding. Three range officers have been placed under suspension over negligence in duty.