A wild mother elephant has died after being caught in an electric trap at South Khuniapalong in Khuniapalong union of Ramu, Cox's Bazar. Miscreants cut the head and legs off the elephant's body. Police have detained one person on suspicion of involvement.

Md Humayun Kabir, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Cox's Bazar South Forest Division, said the elephant died after being caught in the electric trap early on Tuesday (31 August).

Ramu upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Pronoy Chakma said the elephant is believed to have come into a paddy field, where it died after stepping into an electric trap set earlier by locals. Some miscreants then cut the head and legs off the body and tried to bury them. A drive is under way to catch them, and those involved in this brutal killing will face severe punishment, he said.

The forest department has recovered several parts of the elephant. On getting the news, Ramu assistant commissioner (land) Rigan Chakma, Khuniapalong union parishad (UP) chairman Abdul Mabud and forest department officials visited the scene. The relevant veterinarian of the Ramu livestock department collected samples for a post-mortem.

Mizanul Islam, inspector and in-charge of the Himchhari police outpost, said police had detained the landowner, Nazir Ahmed, for initial questioning. Further legal action will be taken after discussion with the forest department, he said.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.