Elephant carcass recovered in Alipurduar

Darjeeling: The carcass of an elephant was found in an area bordering the Buxa Tiger Reserve in the Alipurduar region.

A 20 to 22-year-old male elephant without tusks (Makna) was found dead in Kanchibazar under the Kumargram block on Tuesday morning. A villager has been picked up in connection with the incident.

An autopsy has been conducted on the carcass. P Harish, Deputy Field Director of the East Division of the Buxa Tiger Reserve, "Only after we get the report of the autopsy will the cause of death be known. However a person has been picked up for questioning."

Locals claim that either the elephant was electrocuted or poisoned. "We have never seen an elephant dead in this position. It cannot be a natural dead. It must have been poisoned or electrocuted" stated Amal Dutta, President, AlipurduarNature Club.

A few days ago the carcass of another Makna elephant was recovered from Tirturi area of Buxa. This is the second death within a span of a week.

The Buxa Forest is within 500 areas of this locality. Elephants traverse through this locality owing to the presence of elephant corridors. Man elephant conflict is a regular phenomenon in these parts. Many villagers put up electric fences to protect crops.

"If the voltage is low it just scares away the elephants. However in many cases death traps are laid for the elephants with the use of very high voltage fencing. Stringent action needs to be taken against all found guilty of such murderous activities" stated Dutta.

" Prima facie the elephant was electrocuted. We appeal to the villagers not to indulge in such activities" stated Biplab Narginari, Assistant Sabhadhipati of Kumargram Gram Panchayat.