Keonjhar: Two elephant carcasses were spotted at Raba village of Kushakala panchayat under Bhuyan Juang Pirh forest Range in Keonjhar district Monday morning, leaving animal lovers in the state shocked.
The carcasses were of a female elephant and a calf.
According to the local villagers, a herd of elephants had strayed into the village Sunday night. They found two pachyderms lying dead Monday morning and immediately informed the Forest department.
DFO Swayam Mallick and a team reached the spot and recovered the carcasses and sent them for autopsy.
While the cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, the Forest department has launched an investigation into the matter. Whether deaths are a result of electrocution, poisoning or natural death will only be known after the post-mortem.
When asked, DFO Mallick said he has ordered an investigation into the deaths. “It is too early to say anything about the reason of the death,” he added.
PNN