Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Elephants Deaths: No 'Conspiracy' Behind Jumbo's Deaths

Bhopal: A high-level team sent by Mhya Presh Chief Minister Mohan Yav to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) following death of 10 elephants has not come across any “conspiracy ory”, one of its members said.

team comprising MP Minister of State for Forest Preep Ahirwar, ditional Chief Secretary Ashok Baranwal and he of Forest Force Aseem Shrivastava on Saturday visited site inside reserve where jumbos died.

Four wild elephants were found de at Sankhani and Bakeli under BTR's Khitoli range on October 29. Four more pachyderms died on October 30 and two next day.

According to wildlife expert Ajay Dubey, never before have 10 elephants died within a 72-hour period in country.

autopsy of carcasses has pointed to toxicity along with huge quantities of kodo millets in ir stomachs, as per officials.

Union Environment Ministry has said that Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has set up a team to investigate elephant deaths.

Mhya Presh government has also formed a committee to look into incident.

An official on Saturday said CM rushed Ahirwar and two top bureaucrats to reserve and asked m to submit a report on elephant deaths which have me national helines.

CM was dissatisfied with preliminary report of forest department that pachyderms died after consuming a lot of kodo millets, an official, who attended an urgent meeting convened by Yav on Friday night, told PTI.

Quoting CM at meeting, official said Yav said he h never heard of elephants dying after eating kodo millets.

“ CM was unhappy over failure to scientifically ascertain cause of deaths even after three days,” he said.

Speaking to PTI over phone from BTR in Umaria district, Shrivastava said, “No conspiracy ory has come to light so far.” Asked about ir findings during visit, he said, “We have been asked to prepare a report. We are discussing it. report will come out once it is finalised,” he said.

Minister Ahirwar told PTI, “We are here. I am here till Sunday evening. inquiry touching all aspects is on. report will be out in three to four days and everything will be clear.” Meanwhile, two persons were killed and one injured near BTR on Saturday by three elephants believed to be part of herd that lost 10 jumbos earlier.

Shrivastava on Saturday said elephants have not been captured.

(Except for heline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)