Bhubaneswar: An elephant died today as a crude bomb exploded inside the tusker after the animal swallowed it in Bharatpur forest on the outskirts of Odisha capital.
As per reports, the tusker had mistakenly swallowed the crude bomb, presumably placed by poachers for hunting wild boars, around 15 days ago.
The bomb later exploded, leaving the pachyderm critically injured. The blast left the elephant with a severed tongue and shattered jaw.
The animal was initially spotted in an injured state by the Forest Department officials on Monday.
Veterinary experts from Nandankanan Zoological Park and OUAT were roped in for the treatment of the elephant.
However, the tusker’s condition deteriorated during the treatment, and it succumbed to injuries.