Dhenkanal: The forest department has launched an investigation into the shocking death of an elephant that was allegedly killed and secretly buried inside a private farmhouse in Kandarasuni area under Hindol block of Odisha’s Dhenkanal district.
Acting on a tip-off, a special team from the forest department alongside police rushed to the scene on Sunday identified a suspected spot within the premises where the animal is believed to have been buried following an inspection. A JCB excavator was deployed on Monday to dig up the farmhouse grounds in the presence of local magistrate and a scientific team. As the excavation progressed, a strong, foul odour blanketing the area confirmed the presence of the decaying carcass.
Sources said that though a postmortem report will shed light on the exact cause and time of death, circumstantial findings strongly point toward electrocution with live electric wires found at the spot. It is being suspected that the farmhouse owner illegally laid live wires to protect their crops from wild animals, which ultimately claimed the life of the elephant.
Police and forest guards have cordoned off the farmhouse gates and secured the entire perimeter to prevent any tampering with evidence.
Three individuals, including the farmhouse owner Pramod Kumar Raj, have been detained for questioning as investigators work to establish the sequence of events and any potential wildlife offences.
