Elephant Tragedies: Arrest in Balrampur and Calf Injury in Udanti-Sitanadi

In Chhattisgarh, a man was arrested for allegedly causing an elephant's death by electric shock after attempting to protect his crops. Separately, an elephant calf was injured in a suspected bomb explosion in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, prompting a significant response from local authorities.

In Chhattisgarh's Balrampur, authorities have apprehended an individual linked to the death of an elephant due to electric shock, according to official reports. Nikhil Saxena, a Forest Department Ranger, explained the discovery of bamboo poles and pegs along with open GI wires at the scene.

The incident occurred when a herd of nine elephants from Balrampur's Wadrafnagar forest strayed into the Manikpur forest circle. Six of the elephants were near Murka village when one got separated and was fatally electrocuted by a wire trap set by the accused, who grows paddy and had installed these to safeguard his crops. Post-mortem results led to the arrest of a suspect from Murka village.

Next steps include registering a case under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, with seized materials as evidence. In a separate issue, an elephant calf sustained injuries from what is suspected to be a bomb blast in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve. Varun Jain, Deputy Director, reported deploying a medical team and bomb squad to assess the situation, tracing a trail of blood and identifying injuries on a calf, indicating a possible encounter with a 'potash bomb.'

(With inputs from agencies.)