Calf elephant found dead

Pathanamthitta, Oct 16 (UNI) Kalpana, a four-year-old female calf elephant, was found dead inside her enclosure at Konni Elephant Camp this morning.

Kalpana, one of the inmates of the Camp, was a favourite of the tourists who flocked the Camp. She was the fourth calf elephant to die of disease here, during the last five years. + Kalpana also charmed the spectators by painting pictures of trees holding the brush in her tusk.

The irate local people who thronged the spot gheraoed the Konni DFO N K Sasidharan levelling allegation of unnatural death.

Kollam Chief Conservator of Forests N J Varghese, who rushed to the Camp defused the tense situation. Dr N Viswanathan and his party from the Chief Disease Investigation Office at Palode reached the camp and collected a blood sample.

Preliminary test proved negative for Anthrax. After post-mortem, the body was cremated at Mannera forest.

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