Numaligarh: Wild elephant obstructs police at firing range inside Kaliyani forest

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAKHAT: On Tuesday, a wild elephant obstructed police personnel when they attempted firing practice at the Assam police firing range located inside the Kaliyani forest area, adjacent to the historic Deo Pahar forest region of Numaligarh. Notably, there have been repeated demands over time to relocate this firing range, which is situated close to the proposed Deo Pahar reserved forest.

The Kaliyani forest is known as a major roaming ground for wild elephants, as well as a habitat for leopards, various species of deer, snakes, and other wildlife. Due to frequent gunfire at this firing range, wild elephants in the greater Numaligarh region have reportedly become disoriented.

Environmental activist Apurba Ballabh Goswami had submitted a memorandum on February 18, 2025, to the Chief Minister of Assam through the then Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat district, Pulak Mahanta, demanding the relocation of the firing range in the interest of wild elephants inhabiting the Kaliyani forest. It is noteworthy that during the last elephant census conducted by the Forest Department, the presence of more than 40 wild elephants was recorded in the forest.

Earlier, on September 13, 2024, the same environmental activist had submitted another memorandum to the Chief Minister through the then Golaghat Deputy Commissioner P Uday Praveen, demanding that the approximately 100-hectare Kaliyani forest area be declared a proposed reserved forest so that the firing range would not obstruct elephant movement.

Meanwhile, during a recent interaction with journalists, Apurba Ballabh Goswami stated that he had also apprised the newly-appointed Deputy Commissioner of Golaghat district, Parag Kumar Kakati, about several local issues, including the demand for relocation of the Assam police firing range at Kaliyani.

The recent movement of wild elephants inside the Kaliyani firing range has validated long-standing concerns. One wild elephant was seen wandering in a disoriented manner in front of the firing range. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the government to immediately relocate the firing range to another location and ensure conservation of the Kaliyani forest.

It has also been reported that bullets and ammunition from this firing range have reached nearby urban areas close to the Numaligarh Refinery township.

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