Jalpaiguri, June 29 -- The carcass of an adult wild elephant was recovered from a private tea garden adjacent to the Chattandu Mechpara slum in Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri district on Monday morning. While forest officials suspect the animal may have died after being struck by lightning, they said the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the post-mortem examination.
According to local sources, herds of wild elephants frequently stray into the area from nearby forests in search of food, particularly during the monsoon when large parts of the forest are inundated. Residents said an elephant was seen roaming near the locality on Sunday afternoon amid heavy rain and thunderstorms.
The carcass was spotted by tea garden workers and local residents on Monday morning, following which the Forest Department was informed. Officials from the Jalpaiguri Wildlife Division reached the spot, cordoned off the area and conducted a preliminary inspection.
Forest officials said the elephant's body bore no visible external injuries. Considering the intense lightning activity in the area from Sunday afternoon until late at night, they suspect a lightning strike may have caused the death.
However, they emphasised that no conclusion can be drawn based solely on external examination.
The carcass has been sent for post-mortem as per protocol. Forest officials said the exact cause of death will be officially confirmed only after the autopsy report is received. An investigation into the incident has been initiated.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.