A forest guard of Gobara beat was suspended for dereliction of duty after it was found that the elephant was dead for at least four days. Its decomposed carcass was discovered on Thursday after stench spread in the area. The poachers had sliced top half of the elephant’s head with absolute precision and made away with the tusks.

The incident took place in Banibandha reserve forests, about 55 km from Bhubaneswar. On March 20, a female elephant and her calf were electrocuted in the division.

Since there was no external injury on the elephant’s body, no gun-shot wound or even scars, the forest officials believe that the jumbo may have been poisoned. It was found in a thorny and bushy area of the forest which was difficult to access. Although outer skin of the elephant was in tact, the internal organs had been swarmed by maggots which was a sign of high level of decomposition.

The Divisional Forest Officer of Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary ManojMohapatra, in additional charge of Athagarh Division, visited the spot and took stock of the incident. “It appears to be a professional work by a group. I will submit a report to the PCCF (Wildlife) on the incident,” Mohapatra said.

During preliminary investigation, sources said there was no trail of blood in the nearby area and signs of camping were missing. Prima facie it appears that the group had planned the hunting well and had local information about the elephant too. While it seems like a case of poisoning, the hunters used sharp weapons to slice the head along with the trunk in such a manner that removal of the tusks was easy.

Athagarh has had a history of elephant poaching. Groups who have been embedded in the area have not only supported smugglers from outside but also carried out the hunting job themselves. Not very long ago, a mob had stormed a police station to release a smuggler. The Crime Branch of State Police had been given the task in the past but it too has not met with much success.