3 arrested for killing elephant five years back in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari

Police have exhumed the body of the tusker from a field, where the accused had buried it, and the tusk has been seized.

Updated on: Jul 28, 2020, 12:54:07 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Three persons were arrested on Monday by a joint team of Chhattisgarh Police and state forest department personnel on charges of killing a tusker five years ago and recently trying to sell its tusk.

Police have exhumed the body of the tusker from a field, where the accused had buried it, and the tusk has been seized.

The trio has been booked under the relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and an investigation has started.

“The elephant was electrocuted at Sikatta village in Dhamtari district five years ago. One of the accused, Chen Singh Markam, a farmer, had fenced his field, with live electric wires to prevent pachyderms from entering it,” said Arun Pandey, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF) (wildlife).

Pandey said the accused have confessed to the police that they had buried the elephant that had died of electrocution five years ago because they were afraid of the repercussions of its death and did not inform the authorities concerned.

“Markam and two of his friends had chopped the elephant’s body and buried it on the farm,” Pandey added.

The police got a tip-off about a month ago, when Markam’s son Ranjeet tried to dig out the tusk and was on the lookout for a buyer.

“The accused tried to mislead us. But Markam’s wife revealed the truth and the tusker’s remains were exhumed,” said a police official.

The state forest department data showed that the pachyderm population in Chhattisgarh increased from 225 to 290 over the past 10 years.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has recently issued guidelines for the monitoring of wild animals in the state’s forests and improving measures for their conservation.

North Chhattisgarh is home to around 240 wild elephants that have been involved in the loss of several human lives and property over the past few years.

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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