Three held in Chhattisgarh for electrocuting elephant, chopping up and burying carcass

Surajpur: Three persons have been arrested for allegedly electrocuting an elephant, chopping up the carcass and burying it in different places in Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district, a forest official said on Monday.

The accused allegedly laid a live wire trap in the forest near Dhuriya village under Ghui forest circle last month, and an elephant got electrocuted, the official said.

The trio allegedly chopped the carcass and buried the parts at 12 different places to conceal their crime, he said.

Forest personnel on Sunday arrested Narendra Singh, Janku Ram and Ramchandar, all residents of Dhuriya village, the official said.

The forest authorities had received a tip-off, following which they launched an investigation and interrogated the accused on suspicion, he said.

The accused confessed to the crime and based on their statements, the elephant's body parts were recovered from the forest, he said, adding that a case has been registered.

Human-elephant conflicts in the northern part of the state have been a major cause of concern since the last decade. Surguja, Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, and Balrampur districts face the menace.

Chhattisgarh has reported the death of more than 70 elephants in the last five years, with causes ranging from ailments and age to electrocution, officials had earlier said.

Last week, a tiger died of electrocution in the Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Sarangarh-Bilaigarh district, and its carcass was found buried in the forest. Four persons were arrested in this connection.