Ganjam: A tusker was found dead in the Baniapalli reserved forest under the Mujagada range of north Ghumusar in Ganjam district.
The forest department officers recovered the carcass of the elephant in compartment-6 of the forest on Saturday morning.
Upon being informed, District Forest Officer (DFO) Himanshu Shekhar Mohanty and range officer Bimbadhar Sahu are en route to the spot, while the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) from Berhampur is also heading to the location.
The elephant is suspected to have died two days ago, but the cause of death is unclear. The incident has raised suspicions of poaching, as there have been reports of hunters setting up electric traps in the area.
The Joint Task Force (JTF) team from Bhubaneswar is expected to arrive in the afternoon to conduct a post-mortem examination.
