The carcass of a male elephant with bullet injury was today found near the Ludhagura chhak in the Dhama forest range area of Sambalpur district, official sources said.
Following an information from villagers, officials of the forest department rushed to the spot and found the elephant's tusk missing.
"The elephant had come from the Sonepur district with the bullet injury. The local people had seen the elephant wandering in the forest area around 7 days ago. It was shot at around one month ago and had received severe injury. The elephant appeared to have died around two to three days ago," a forest official said
The elephant was aged about 8 to 10 years. Both the tusks of the jumo were missing, said forester in Dhama forest range, Aswini Padhee.
An autopsy was conducted on the elephant's body before being buried. A few days ago, poachers had shot dead a 45 years old elephant in the Jamankira forest range of Sambalpur district and took away its tusks.
