The investigation into the disappearance and death of an elephant from Kandhamal district in Odisha took a serious turn after authorities recovered mutilated body parts buried near a dam in Kalahandi district, suggesting an alleged attempt to hide the incident.
The decomposed carcass, missing from the Baliguda forest division, was found in Kesinga tehsil, exhumed from a depth of nearly seven feet. Recovered fragments included the trunk, neck, and other body parts. Additional chunks of elephant meat and skin were later discovered buried at Kadapana nursery.
Notably, the recovery site is near the residence of suspended forest ranger Binay Kumar Bisi, who is under investigation in connection with the case. The carcass has been sent for a post-mortem to determine the exact cause of death and other relevant details.
Officials are probing why the elephant was killed and dismembered, and who was involved in concealing the body across multiple locations. The Forest Department has confirmed that a detailed inquiry is ongoing to establish the sequence of events and assign responsibility.
The case first came to light after reports emerged that an elephant had died in the Belghar forest range under the Baliguda forest division on January 5. The Baliguda Divisional Forest Officer confirmed the incident following preliminary verification, leading to suspensions and a formal investigation into the role of forest personnel tasked with wildlife protection.
