According to locals, around 20 to 25 people went to the burial site at about 1am, carrying spades and machetes, and tried to dig up the carcass to remove meat from the buried elephant.
A forest department official applies bleaching powder to an elephant carcass to accelerate decomposition after miscreants attempted to exhume the remains to steal meat and bones. Photo: TBS
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A forest department official applies bleaching powder to an elephant carcass to accelerate decomposition after miscreants attempted to exhume the remains to steal meat and bones. Photo: TBS
A group of people attempted to dig up the grave of a buried wild elephant to steal meat and bones in Rangamati’s Longadu upazila early today (28 April), but fled after Forest Department personnel arrived.
According to local sources, around 20 to 25 people went to the burial site at about 1am, carrying spades and machetes and tried to dig up the carcass to remove meat from the buried elephant.
Locals alleged that due to inadequate security at the site, parts of the elephant’s trunk and legs had been cut off and taken away.
The wild elephant was recovered dead in Longadu upazila and buried under the supervision of the Forest Department yesterday evening (27 April) after a post-mortem.
Jainal PC, leader of the Emergency Response Team stationed at the site, said several people arrived at night with spades and machetes to steal meat. “They fled in the face of our resistance,” he said.
The incident has created anger among locals, who fear similar attempts could be made again because of the area’s remote, hilly terrain.
Forest Department officials said the matter will be investigated and necessary action taken.
Md Shariful Islam, range officer of the Pablakhali Range under the Chittagong Hill Tracts North Forest Division, said samples have been collected and sent to Dhaka to determine the exact cause of death of the elephant.
Regarding the theft attempt, he said action will be taken after an investigation.
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