Doomdooma: Pushpadhar Gohain, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Assam’s Doomdooma Forest Division, confirmed on Monday that an enquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the death of the baby elephant.
The panel will be headed by Kabyasree Bora, Saikhowa Range Officer.
“News has been circulating that an elephant died due to carelessness of the Forest Department and Wildlife SOS. Actually, Wildlife SOS is an NGO from Uttar Pradesh that treats domestic elephants free of cost at many places in Assam with permission from the owners,” Gohain told Northeast Now.
He added that due to inclement weather, veterinary doctors were initially unavailable, but officials from the department, along with veterinarians, have now reached the site for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Expressing concern and grief over the death, he said that the baby elephant was ill and under treatment earlier.
Wildlife SOS of Uttar Pradesh, over the phone, denied the allegations, stating that no expired medicines were used in the treatment and expressing grief over the incident.
A 13-month-old elephant calf named Lakhmini died on Sunday morning, April 19, in the Kumsang Reserved Forest under the Doomdooma Forest Division, sparking outrage among local elephant owners and the Moran community, who share deep cultural ties with the animals.
The calf reportedly received treatment, including an injection, during a free veterinary camp organised the previous day by the Uttar Pradesh-based NGO Wildlife SOS in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department.
Locals and conservationists have alleged negligence, claiming the injection may have been expired, leading to the sudden death.
The calf belonged to an elephant named Jayamati, owned by a local resident. According to the owner, the Doomdooma Forest Division had informed them on April 18 about the free medical camp in the Talap and Kumsang forest ranges.
Elephants, including the baby Lakhmini, were brought to the camp and administered injections in the presence of a forest guard.
“We found Lakhmini dead this morning,” the owner said, expressing concern over the health of other elephants, including Jayamati, who also received the injection and has been showing signs of distress. The mother elephant has reportedly been inconsolable since the incident.
Local residents and elephant owners have accused the attending veterinarians of administering an expired injection, leading to the calf’s death.
Rajib Moran, president of the All Moran Students’ Union (AMSU) Kakopathar unit, demanded a thorough probe and accountability. He warned that elephants hold deep emotional significance for the Moran community and that there would be agitation in Doomdooma if proper steps were not taken immediately.
A local resident also called for immediate government intervention, stating that legal action must be taken against the group of veterinary doctors and proper compensation provided to the affected owners, failing which there would be agitation.
Wildlife SOS has been involved in providing free treatment to domestic elephants in Assam with owners’ consent, but this incident has raised serious questions about the execution and oversight of such camps.
The enquiry committee’s findings are awaited, even as the death has triggered panic among elephant owners in the region and highlighted the need for stricter monitoring of veterinary interventions involving wildlife NGOs.