Elephant with five gunshots undergoes treatment in Odisha forest

Cuttack: In a fresh incident of human-elephant conflict, a jumbo was found injured with gunshots on its body in Barsigaon forest of Narasinghapur Forest Range under Athagarh Division in Cuttack district.

The medical team that has been treating the jumbo, on Thursday, informed that the pachyderm had five gunshot injuries on its body, including ear, leg and trunk.

Sources said few locals first spotted the tusker roaming around and roaring in acute pain inside Barsigaon forest and immediately called up forest officials. On receiving information, a team of forest officials reached the area and attempted to tranquilize it. However, they failed to control the pachyderm. Seeing the huge crowd, the elephant ran deep into forest.

However, officials later managed to tranquilize the tusker. A team of veterinarians was later engaged to provide treatment to the wounded elephant in presence of forest officials.

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It may be mentioned here that an elephant had succumbed to bullet injuries in Narasinghpur Forest Range under Athagarh Division last month.

Meanwhile, local residents and wildlife lovers have expressed strong discontentment over frequent elephant deaths in the area and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.