Sundargarh: The forest department Friday suspended a forester and a forest guard of Rajgangpur range for dereliction of duty while the ranger has been served a show-cause notice in connection with the poaching of an elephant near Malupada forest in Kutunia panchayat of Sundargarh district.
A youth, Hembram Kerketa, was arrested for his involvement in the poaching. The animal was poached and its carcass was buried in a pit September 12. The forest department got the news Friday and rushed to the spot. The pachyderm’s body had been cut into pieces.
As those involved in the crime came to know of the forest department’s investigation, they tried to burn the decomposed carcass so as to destroy the evidence Friday morning.
Rourkela DFO Sanjay Chandra Swain served a show-cause notice on ranger Chandra Sekhar Gadanayak and suspended forester Harish Chandra Jena and forest guard Sabita Kisan.
The cause of the elephant’s death can be ascertained after the arrival of the post-mortem report, forest officials said.
The arrested youth was interrogated while several villagers were suspected to be involved in the poaching.
PNN