Angul: A young male elephant that had suffered severe injuries after accidentally chewing a crude bomb has died in Odisha’s Angul district. The death was confirmed by the Angul Divisional Forest Officer today.

The incident took place near Patharagada Sahi of Balukata village under the Bantala Forest Range. Forest officials said the elephant, aged around six to seven years, had reportedly chewed an illegally planted crude bomb, believed to have been kept for hunting wild animals.

Rescue and Treatment Efforts

The injured elephant was rescued after being found in a critical condition. Veterinary teams from Angul, Kapilash and Satkosia rushed to the spot and began treatment. Doctors suspected that the blast had occurred five to six days earlier, causing deep wounds inside the animal’s mouth. Due to the injuries, the elephant was in severe pain and unable to eat.

Death During Shift for Treatment

Forest officials decided to shift the elephant to the Kapilash Elephant Rescue Centre for better treatment. However, the animal died while being taken to the rescue centre.

Investigation Underway

Forest authorities have launched an investigation to identify those responsible for placing the crude bomb. Officials said strict action would be taken against anyone found involved in the illegal act, which led to the death of the animal.