Alipurduar: Elephant found dead in betel nut plantation, snake bite suspected

Alipurduar: An elephant’s carcass was spotted inside a betel nut plantation in Chapaguri, in the Rangalibazna Gram Panchayat of Alipurduar district’s Madarihat block. The elephant was found lying dead in Barun Bhagat’s betel nut garden on Saturday evening.

According to sources from the Forest department, the age of the elephant is estimated to be around 7 to 8 years. Forest officials opine that the elephant had passed away on Friday night.

Local residents reported that a group of elephants emerge from the nearby Dhumchi forest and frequently venture into this area, causing disturbances at night.

Barun Bhagat, the owner of a betel nut plantation, said: “On Friday night, a number of elephants invaded the area. Coincidentally, the betel nut garden is concealed by thickets. During monsoons, people generally avoid entering such overgrown betel nut gardens. It is not surprising that the lifeless body went unnoticed by locals. Subsequently, a young resident informed about the elephant’s demise on Saturday evening. Following this, the Forest department was promptly notified. Foresters from the Madarihat Range swiftly arrived at the scene.”

Navjeet De, Assistant Wildlife Warden (AWLW) of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, stated: “An autopsy was conducted on Sunday. Our veterinary team has identified the elephant as a tusker. Initial observations following the postmortem suggest that the cause of death could be attributed to a snake bite. We can provide a more definitive statement after the final report is generated.”