Elephant dies after ingesting crude bomb

Bhubaneswar: A male wild elephant died after consuming some suspected explosive material in Angul district, a forest official said on Friday. The elephant had sustained serious injury in its mouth after consuming the explosive material. It was five years old and was first spotted at a forest area in Bantala range in Angul district on January 13.

The animal was moving with a herd of 51 elephants. However, it got separated from the herd as it became weak due to serious injury in its mouth, Angul DFO Nitish Kumar said. After monitoring the movement of the sub-adult elephant, it was put under treatment by a dedicated team of veterinary doctors on Thursday. For its further treatment, the animal was shifted to Kapilash Elephant Rescue Centre. However, the animal died while being taken to the rescue centre, Kumar said.

It was suspected that the elephant got injured after eating some crude bomb or explosive material laid by poachers for hunting. The exact reason behind the injury of the jumbo can be ascertained by the treating veterinary team, the DFO said.

"We have conducted a post-mortem of the wild animal. Its body will be disposed of following due procedure. An investigation has been launched to nab the persons behind the death of the jumbo," Kumar said.