Struggle for existence

Balasore, Sept. 1: The Odisha crime branch has arrested one person out of three in connection with jumbo deaths inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve. However, two managed to escape.

The crime branch team has been probing the jumbo death cases within the reserve during the past three years. During the investigation, the team arrested one Ganesh Karua of Bakala village. He has been produced before court by the investigating agency.

“One person was arrested on the charge of his involvement in poaching while two suspects fled,” said an officer of the investigating team. Following the arrest, the forest personnel of Similipal as well as wildlife activists are hopeful that the investigators will crack the poaching racket.

Two cases of elephant deaths under Karanjia forest division came to fore following initiatives by the wildlife activists. Under the Kendumundi range, death of two elephants were reported in 2010 and three pachyderms near Mandav hills under the Dudhiani range last year. The tusks of the male jumbos were not found and wildlife activists alleged connivance of the forest personnel in the poaching racket.

“We have alleged deaths of 10 jumbos in 2010 within the reserve including two under Kendumundi range. In fact, the National Tiger Conservation Authority had sought crime branch inquiry,” said Bhanoomitra Acharya, an honorary wildlife warden of Mayurbhanj. “The team took all documents, photographs and evidence including readings with global positioning system (GPS) for identification of spot,” he said.

“The state investigating agency has been conducting probes into two cases that occurred under Karanjia division. We believe there are links among the cases and criminals,” said regional chief conservator of forests Anup Nayak.