India: The Forest authorities on Saturday placed two officials, including a forester and woman forest guard, under suspension in connection with the death of an elephant in Jamda area of Mayurbhanj district, three weeks ago.

Rairangpur DFO Arun Kumar Swain has suspended forester Manas Ranjan Mohanty and forest guard Juli Kisku on  charges of negligence leading to the elephant’s death.

Sources said the carcass of the elephant without its head was spotted inside Budhirana reserve forest under Jamda beat of Bahalda range. As the spot is a few kilometres  away from neighbouring Jharkhand, the hand of an inter-State gang behind its death was suspected.

Locals alleged that the animal could have been poisoned and it could be the handiwork of a well-organised poaching racket. The elephant is suspected to be belonging to a  herd from Jharkhand, which had strayed into the reserve forest in search of food. Other jumbos seem to have returned to their habitat.

In the last two weeks, four elephants were found dead in Mayurbhanj forests. While the tusks of a tusker were found removed, two others were female elephants. The cause of their deaths is yet to be made public.

While a female elephant is suspected to have died after delivering a stillborn calf at Alakudar under Kaliani beat in Gudgudia range of Karanjia division on Wednesday, another female elephant was found dead in Kaptipada area on Friday.

(Source: Indian express)