Bhubaneswar: The Forest Department in Odisha has exhumed the skeletal remains of elephant ‘Ramu’ that had died of electrocution at Chandaka forest last year.

The department has decided to preserve the skeletal remains of the pachyderm for display as well as research purposes. It had constituted a team of experts to exhume the skeletal remains of Ramu from the burial site at Bharatpur forest, located near the capital city.

The 24-member team comprising officials of Forest Department, forensic experts and people having expertise in wildlife conservation successfully exhumed the skeletal remains today. 

Ramu died after coming in contact with a live wire on August 19, 2024. The Forest Department had then launched a probe into the incident.

According to the department, Ramu was an iconic elephant of Chandaka forest. Though the elephant was very strong, it never attacked anyone, said the department.

Notably, the authorities had earlier preserved the skeletal remains of elephant ‘Shankar’ in Odisha.