Jalpaiguri, Oct. 2 -- Amid heighten ed activity across North Bengal over the tiger reintroduction programme in Buxa, the mysterious death of an adult elephant in Rajganj, Jalpaiguri, triggered concern on Friday. The elephant's carcass was recovered from the Nodhabori area under the Belakoba Range of the Baikunthapur Forest Division in the morning. Forest officials suspect that the animal may have died after coming into contact with an electrified fence, although the exact cause will be established only after a post-mortem examination.
According to local residents, tea garden workers and villagers spotted the elephant lying dead near a forested area adjoining the Nodhabori tea gardens on Friday morning. The news quickly spread, drawing residents from nearby tea gardens and villages to the spot.
Forest officials and personnel from the Belakoba Range reached the area and cordoned off the site. During preliminary inspection, officials found blade-wire fencing around the tea garden, with a section of the wire entangled around the elephant's body. This raised suspicion that the fence may have been electrified.
Officials suspect the elephant may have come into contact with the fencing while moving out of the forest towards the nearby human habitation area. The animal may have received an electric shock and collapsed at the spot.
However, forest officials said no conclusion could be drawn until the post-mortem examination is completed.
Uttam Sarkar, Range Officer of the Belakoba Squad under the Baikunthapur Forest Division, said: "We reached the spot after receiving information about the elephant's death. The elephant was approximately 20 years old. The actual cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem examination."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.