Poachers kill elephant in Arunachal

ITANAGAR: Poachers killed a female elephant in the Mebo range under Pasighat forest division of Arunachal Pradesh's East Siang District and also took away its trunk.

The carcass of the pachyderm was recovered from a jungle near Namsing village, officials said here on Friday.

On August 14, another female elephant was killed under the same forest range.

Members of Daying Ering Wildlife Foundation Eco-Development Society ( DEWFEDS), which has been working towards protection, preservation and conservation of wildlife and forest resources in the region, immediately informed the Pasighat divisional forest officer (DFO), Tabang Jamoh, about the death of the elephant in the area.

The DFO, along with a team, rushed to the location and found the elephant with some flesh missing from its back. A bullet injury mark was visible on the animal's forehead, a source said.

The elephant was perhaps killed a week ago, a source said. He added that an FIR has been lodged at Mebo police outpost .

Central Arunachal chief conservator of forests AK Viswal has sought an explanation from the Mebo range officer.