Search for wounded elephants in Bengal after Jumbo group fired

Siliguri, July 11 (UNI) A bullet ridden cow elephant was found dead in Nepal's Bamondangi region bordering West Bengal's Naxalbari block in Darjeeling district today.

Eastern Nepal's Jhapa district veterinary S Sapkota while denying an earlier report saying the Royal Nepal Police shot dead the pachyderm, said the task and nails from carcass were removed. He said possibly the poachers were behind the killing of the female adult elephant for its task and nails. Three bullets were found from carcass, Mr Sapkota said confirming a post-mortem report.

Earlier a report said RNP shot at a group of 50 pachyderms to divert their route, which was later denied.

Meanwhile, forest department at Mahananda sanctuary in Kurseong division was alerted following a report that two wounded pachyderms entered after crossing the common Mechi river in Naxalbari region.

West Bengal Forest Minister Ananta Roy told UNI that a female elephant was killed and a cub injured.

He said efforts were on to confirm details of the elephant casualties.

Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation secretary Animesh Basu said similar incident had happened in 2003 and a meeting between India's and Nepal wildlife officials held to ensure such thing did not recur. But there was no follow up and the latest casualty was a result of such lapses.

He said the wild elephants have huge trails from Asom to Nepal via Bhutan and Chapramari and Mahananda in West Bengal. But a vast area was encroached by the people on both sides of India and Nepal making the jumbo quite vulnerable to the poachers.

UNI