The Hindu : Karnataka News : Elephants lured to swallow bombs

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Monday, Sep 03, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Elephants lured to swallow bombs

Raghava M.

Explosives hidden in ragi balls go off inside the animals’ mouth

The incidents were reported near the
Karnataka-Kerala border
Forest Department officials have shown the death as natural

Probing the deaths: A Forest Cell official inspecting the carcass of an elephant in the Bandipur National Park

Kalkere (Bandipur National Park): Explosives are being used to kill elephants in Bandipur National Park, according to an investigation by the Karnataka Police (Forest Cell).

The Crime Investigation Department of the State police stumbled upon the use of explosives while looking into the deaths of two female elephants in Ainur Margudi Range and Moleyur Range of Bandipur National Park. While one was reported in January from Halasurugadde, the other was reported in April from Ramanayakanahalli. Both are near the Karnataka-Kerala border.

Post-mortem

The post-mortem report related to the death of the elephant in Halasurgadde mentions the use of explosives, which states, “… severe injuries with scuffing of lower lips, tongue, tissues of buckle cavity, multiple fracture of mandible and cranial bones … chewed the concealed explosive that has exploded in the oral cavity.”

Despite this, the Forest Department officials had shown the death as natural, said Superintendent of Police (CID Forest Cell) S.D. Jawaharlal, who is heading the inquiry into the deaths. Halasurgadde is among the few open water bodies in the park where elephants and other animals congregate.

In case of the Ramanayakanahalli elephant, Mr. Jawaharlal said the statements given by the local forest staff indicated the use of explosives. The injuries were not mentioned in the mahajar (spot inspection) prepared by the Forest Department. “Both the elephants might have consumed explosives hidden inside ragi flour balls. It looks like an act of a poacher,” he said.

The inquiry is part of a larger investigation into the deaths of 16 elephants in Nagarhole and Bandipur National Parks between June 2006 and June 2007. The police have taken the services of Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biological to submit reports on the cause of deaths. Two of the elephants were male.

The genesis for the inquiry was the death in June of a male elephant in Metikuppe Range of Nagarahole National Park, which was mentioned in the official records as makhna (a male elephant without tusks).

The CID Forest Cell arrested six persons and recovered two pieces of tusk, which were removed from that elephant.

Inspector-General of Police (CID Forest Cell) K.S.N. Chikkerur said they were looking into the possibility of involvement of poachers from Kerala.

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