Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has suspended Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Suryakant Behera of Balliguda Forest Division in connection with the shocking elephant death case.
The ACF has been placed under suspension with immediate effect by the department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change pending disciplinary proceedings.
The suspension was ba
sed on a report submitted by the RCCF, Berhampur Circle, dated January 24, 2026. As per the order, Behera has been placed under suspension with immediate effect pending disciplinary proceedings under Rule 12(1)(a) of the OCS (CCA) Rules, 1962.
Behera’s headquarters during the suspension will be fixed at the office of the PCCF & HoFF, Odisha. He cannot leave headquarters without prior permission from the competent authority. He will be entitled to subsistence allowance as per Rule-90 of the Orissa Service Code.
The suspension comes amid widespread public outrage over the elephant death case in Balliguda Forest Division. The Forest Department’s move signals accountability and disciplinary action against officials linked to negligence in wildlife protection.