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Nilagiri: The Similipal Field Director Office suspended two officials in connection with the death of an elephant in a forest under the Hatikholia section of the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary within the Nilagiri forest range in Odisha’s Balasore district.
Forester Padmavati Behera and Forest Guard Pramila Sena of Hatikholia Beat were placed under suspension for alleged dereliction and negligence of duty in the probe into the death of the female elephant in the sanctuary.
The authorities appointed Jayant Kumar Pradhan as Forester of Hatikholia section, Manohar Singh as Forest Guard of Hatikholia Beat and Ayushman Panda as Forest Guard of Mangalpur Beat.
The stringent action was taken against erring forest officials over a year after the carcass of a female elephant was found under the Niliagiri forest range in December 2022.
While the forest officials stated that the 15-year-old elephant died due to age-related problems, the locals suspected that elephant died of internal injuries after falling from a hill. It was suspected that elephant was pregnant.
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