With the death of a pregnant elephant in a jungle at Patharkhamba village under Kamakshya Nagar forest range, the death toll of the jumbos during a span of one week increased to six.
Five elephants had earlier died in Ganjam district.
"The female elephant was pregnant and she died due to kidney infection. The elephants' calf had died inside the womb which led to infection in the mother," said Sunik Kumar Dalei, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Dhenkanal.
Dalei ruled out possibility of poaching of the elephant aged about 35 years.
Forest department sources said the elephant population in the state has plummeted from 2,044 in 1979 to 1,930 in 2012.
Meanwhile, concerned over the frequent death of elephants, Principal Secretary of Forests and Environment Rajkumar Sharma has said, "Henceforth, the government officials will be held responsible for the death of elephants in the state."
