Body of third wild elephant found in Chhattisgarh , officials suspect unnatural death

All three wild elephants did not appear to have died of natural causes, but clarity would emerge after their post-mortem reports are made available.

Updated on: Jun 11, 2020, 12:05:26 IST

Hindustan Times | By Ritesh Mishra

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The body of a third wild elephant was found in the jungles of Rajpur in north Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur district on Thursday morning.

Earlier on Tuesday and Wednesday, two female wild elephants were found dead in separate spots in the jungles of the Pratapur forest range of Surajpur district. (HT photo)

“The body of a wild elephant has been found in the Rajpur forest range of Balrampur district on Thursday morning. Forest officials are on their way to the spot. I shall also accompany them,” said Arun Kumar Pandey, additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Chhattisgarh.

He said that all three wild elephants did not appear to have died of natural causes, but clarity would emerge after their post-mortem reports are made available.

Earlier on Tuesday and Wednesday, two female wild elephants were found dead in separate spots in the jungles of the Pratapur forest range of Surajpur district. Their post-mortem reports are likely to be made available on Thursday.

Forest officials said the dead jumbos belonged to a herd of elephants that have been roaming in the area since May.

North Chhattisgarh’s coal-rich forests in the Surguja region is home to around 240 wild elephants, who have been involved in several man-animal conflicts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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