Odisha Forest Staff Burn A Caracas To Cover Up Poaching, HC Says 2022 Worst Year For Elephants

The Odisha High Court has expressed concern over the death of elephants and increasing incidents of poaching and said that 2022 was one of the worst years for jumbos in the state.

The two-judge bench of the HC comprising chief justice S Muralidhar and justice Murahari Sri Raman on Tuesday came down heavily on the Odisha government Forest Department for their failure to save the wild elephants.

BCCL

Worst year for elephants

¡°We are reacting to a situation all the time, but not preventing anything from happening. So what are the preventive measures we have to put in place and how quickly we can put in place. Because this has been a very bad year for elephants in Odisha. It is perhaps the worst year," Chief Justice S Muralidhar said on Tuesday.

The court was hearing a PIL related to the discovery of a burnt elephant carcass, which the forest staff at Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) had set on fire to cover up a poaching incident.

Poaching cover-up

On December 7, a sub-adult elephant was killed by poachers near Bakua village in Jenabil range of the tiger reserve.

BCCL/ FILE

The Forest staff, instead of reporting the incident, allegedly burnt the carcass and threw the remains, including bones, in a waterfall.

However, the cover-up was exposed after Similipal field director received an anonymous call.

Accused suspended

Following this, an investigation was launched and three forest staff involved in burning the carcass were suspended.

On Tuesday, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Manoj V Nair told the HC that the three field staff- in charge ranger officer, a forester, and a forest guard were instrumental in covering up the poaching as well as destroying the evidence.

He also told the court that the joint task force (JTF) investigating the incident found only a few bones and flesh from the waterfall where the staff had thrown it away.

BCCL

On Monday, Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Pradip Amat said strong action will be taken against the persons, including officials involved in the incident.

"Investigation is going on and we have asked to complete it soon. Either any senior officer or any Class IV employee, whoever is involved in the crime, strong action will be taken," he said.

Elephant deaths in Odisha in 2022

2022 was a terrible year for the wild elephants in Odisha, with increasing cases of poaching and deaths from electrocution.

Twitter/ Biswajit Mohanty

According to official data, at least 61 elephants died in Odisha in 2022.

Between August and September, at least 8 elephants were killed in Odisha's forests.

For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.