FROM A CORRESPONDENT
DIPHU, March 22: Residents of Bogiguri village located near the Kheroni forest Range office of Hamren subdivision in West Karbi Anglong, spotted one wild elephant lying with five bullets injury inside a sugarcane plantation yesterday morning.
After receiving information from the villagers, forest department officials rushed to the spot.
Locals claimed that a strong group of poachers equipped with sophisticated arms is active in the area and are poaching wild animals regularly. Villagers have informed that on Friday evening a large herd of wild elephant crossed over the area and with all probability poachers shot the jumbo at that time.
Dr. Bijoy Dutta, well-known veteriry expert rushed from Guwahati at the persol initiative of Jatin Sharma, Divisiol Forest Officer of Hamren forest division, who performed number of operations to extract bullets which hit the animal in her back and in abdomen.
Meanwhile, a team of doctors from Wild Life Trust of India have reached the place of incident from the animal rescue centre based at Kajiranga tiol park and have started treatment.
"The female elephant is semi adult aged between 11 to 12 years and we think she has been shot by spatter cartridge and was injured few days back. Due to strong resistance power the animal kept on budging and consumed normal fodder but the pellets of the cartridge inside her body caused severe reaction and she could not move further," said Jatin Sharma, DFO Hamren Wildlife Division.
He said doctors are constantly monitoring the situation and a temporary shed has been erected where supply of water has been ensured.
"Till now seven bottles of saline have been injected. Her condition, however, is not improving. Still we are doing our best," Sharma said.
The experienced forest officer expressed doubt that the incident is a case of men-elephant conflict because the elephant is not a tusker and a professiol poacher doesn't have sufficient reason to kill the animal.
"Probably some time back, when the herd was plundering some paddy or sugarcane cultivation, villagers in order to drive out the herd shot the elephant with muzzle loader compressed with pellets and gunpowder," Sharma mentioned.