Probe begins into Similipal jumbo deaths

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Similipal was rocked by the news __ poaching of four elephants __ the Forest and Environment Department on Monday pressed the panic button. Chief Wildlife Warden Janardan Dibakar Sharma has proceeded to the tiger reserve to take stock. He would visit Nawana South Range and assess the ground scenario. Sharma told this paper on Monday that the department would initiate criminal investigation into the incident, if necessary. Given the circumstances, the first priority is to ascertain the cause of deaths.  Sharma, who is also Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said scientific investigation of the remnants, found from the spot, will be conducted to ascertain if the animals, burnt and buried, were elephants or other wild animals.  While the case of the calf elephant is clear since the decomposed carcass was found, bones and skeletons of three were found buried after being burnt. While the incident has brought the local field staff under scanner, the department is unwilling to buy the theory that the incident might have happened in recent past.“Disposing of the carcass of an adult jumbo is no small task. We need to ascertain what the animals are and then proceed further in the investigation. If poaching has been done and glossed over, stringent action will be taken,” Sharma said. Meanwhile, Deputy Director of STR Bikash Kumar Das on Monday began investigation into the incident and a report is expected in a couple of days.