Assam: Injured wild elephant cared for by locals in absence of forest personnel

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A wild elephant remains trapped in the Rajapara area under the Bondapara Forest Range in the West Kamrup Forest Division for the last four weeks.

After the locals realised the elephant was injured and couldn’t move properly, they informed Rimpi Borah, the range officer of the Bondapara Range Office. “We have continuously monitored the elephant and its activity,” said Pankaj Daimary from Kukurmara village. “Although we informed the matter to the forest official, they didn’t come to the place and check the elephant,” he added.

“After that, we felt bad seeing the elephant suffer and informed the higher authorities, including the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of West Kamrup Forest Division,” added Daimary.

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Later, on February 8, Dr Kushal Konwar Sharma, famous as the “elephant doctor” of Assam who was awarded the Padma Shree in 2020, reached the Rajapara area with a medical team and forest team.

However, by then the elephant had moved to the jungle, so the forest and veterinarian team searched the whole day. However, they were unable to locate the elephant.

DFO Bora said, “The forest department observed the elephant but left the place in the night. The elephant is a female adult. We will search for the elephant and give her treatment to heal.”

However, Daimary added that the Forest department did not do anything for the elephant after that day. “We spotted the elephant many times and according to them the elephant is very weak due to the lack of food,” he added.

“It has almost been a few weeks and the elephant is still suffering from pain. She can not walk due to injuries in her right leg and other injuries in her body,” said Bhawananda Basumatary from Kukurmara village.

“We feel very bad for the elephant even though we regularly suffer from wild elephant attacks. We are trying to feed the elephant. As she cannot move, she stands near a paddy field to drink water for many days and she eats all the food items like sugarcane, vegetables, bananas etc which we gave to her,” added Basumatary.

Meghali Rabha, 73 no. Paschim Bekeli Gaon Panchayat President said that she also wrote to the Director of the Assam State Veterinary Department to take immediate action.

However, DFO Dimpy Bora on Saturday said Dr Kushal Knowar Sharma is in Patna and will return for treatment on Tuesday.

“We observed her motions and conditions and took videos and sent them to the Guwahati State Zoo doctors and Dr Kushal Knowar Sharma every morning and evening. We gave her medicine and antibiotics mixed in food items,” added DFO Bora.

Bora said Dr Kushal Knowar Sharma told her that the elephant’s right leg might have fractured, but not in serious condition else she could not have moved. (East Mojo)