Assam: Wild elephant found dead in paddy field

Biswanath (Assam) [India], October 26 : A wild elephant was found dead in paddy field of Goroimari area of Assam's Biswanath district on Saturday.

Locals found the caracass of wild tusker in the paddy field and immediately informed forest officials and the police.
Goutam Kumar Singh, sub-inspector of Jinjia police station, informed that they were at the location to investigate the situation.
"The forest officials called the Officer-in-Charge that an elephant was found lying dead and we have come here to see the situation. A herd of wild elephants often come to this area and we have arranged patrolling and our police personnel were on duty last night also," the police officer said.
Dr Kusumbar Dutta, a veterinary doctor, said that the elephant might have died last night. The cause of death will be ascertained after the post-mortem, the doctor said.
"Today morning, I was informed about the incident. Maybe the wild jumbo died due to infection. If necessary we will send the sample to the forensic laboratory to find out the actual cause of death," Dutta said.
This comes after the World Animal Protection Protection approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevent the transfer of elephants from Assam to a temple in south Delhi on grounds that it would amount to animal cruelty and it was necessary to stop the transfer for wildlife conservation.
"As an organisation with more than three decades of experience in working with elephants, we submit to you that elephants suffer in captivity and fundamentally belong in their natural habitat, in the wild. Going by your own pronouncements on media multiple times, all living creatures, including elephants, should be respected for what they are, as they enhance our lives, with all their cultural, historical and ecological significance," says Gajendra Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India.