Khurda: After fighting a 48-hour long battle, an ailing female elephant finally died at Bagheiput near Rambhabali under Jankia police limits in Khurda district late Thursday night.
According to forest department officials, when they first spotted the ailing pachyderm, they also saw a tusker guarding her. After a while, the male elephant retreated into the jungle and it enabled the forest department personnel to examine the female.
Later a veterinary team from Tangi reached the spot and started treating the pachyderm. She got up and managed to walk a few metres before collapsing again.
“Local people and we were watching elephant Thursday night when she breathed her last,” informed Tangi forest range officer Ajay Jagadeb.
It has been alleged that the elephant died due to consumption of crops laced with pesticides. “The exact cause of the elephant’s death can only be ascertained when the post-mortem report arrives,” Jagadeb added.
PNN