Patnaik orders CID-CB probe

BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday ordered a probe by CID-CB into the death of seven elephants by electrocution in Dhenkanal district of Odisha.

The elephants were killed due to electrocution near Kamalanga village under Meramundali range of Dhenkanal district late on Friday night.

The CID SP will probe all aspects, including lapses, negligence of the officials and under what circumstances the incident occurred.

Meanwhile, wildlife officials on Sunday recovered the decomposed carcass of a leopard near Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary of western Odisha district of Bargarh.

Hirakud divisional forest officer (wildlife) Sudeep Nayak, under whose jurisdiction the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary falls, said the forest staff discovered the carcass in a pit around 500 metres from the boundary of the sanctuary.

“Our staff while patrolling noticed a pit near the sanctuary this morning. They found the decomposed carcass of a leopard,” said Nayak.

The carcass seemed to be 8-10 days old and its nails and teeth were missing.

Its head also appeared to be severed.

The divisional forest officer said a veterinary surgeon who has gone to the spot will decide whether a post-mortem needed to be done.

“We would also investigate whether it’s a case of poisoning or natural death,” the forest official said.

The forest department had recently found the presence of a Royal Bengal tiger in this sanctuary through camera traps that were installed at different locations. Debrigarh sanctuary, spread over 347 sq km, has been proposed as a tiger reserve.

The Hirakud Dam is situated close to the sanctuary.