Death of 10 Elephants: 2 Bandhavgarh Reserve Officials Suspended for Lapses

Mhya Presh Chief Minister Mohan Yav on Sunday suspended two senior officials of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve after a high-level team that probed death of 10 elephants inside park submitted its report.

report doesn't point to any pesticide or role of “anor side”, CM said.

Action has been taken against reserve director Gaurav Choudhary and in-charge assistant conservator of forest (ACF) officer Fateh Singh Ninama for alleged lapses. reserve has drawn national attention following deaths of elephants in about 72 hours.

“ high-level team has submitted its report. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve director has been suspended for switching off his phone, not returning to work after leave and or reasons. ACF Fateh Singh Ninama has also been suspended,” CM told PTI here.

Both have been suspended for showing laxity in performing ir duties, he ded.

Calling jumbo deaths “very painful”, CM said government took matter seriously and sent forest minister and senior officials to reserve for a probe.

Yav said initial report doesn’t point to any pesticide (in food consumed by elephants) or involvement of “anor side”. “ post-mortem report of elephants will come in two or three days,” he ded.

Officials h earlier talked about toxicity along with huge quantities of kodo millets in stomachs of 10 elephants that died in reserve.

CM on Friday night h called an emergency meeting and sent a team comprising MP forest junior minister Preep Ahirwar, ditional chief secretary Ashok Baranwal and he of Forest Force Aseem Shrivastava to reserve to probe elephant deaths and submit a report.

team returned to Bhopal on Sunday evening.

On October 29, four wild elephants were found de in Sankhani and Bakeli under Khalil range of reserve in Umaria district, while four died on October 30 and two on October 31.

elephants may have died after consuming some toxic substance, as per officials. Several or teams are also probing incidents.