Guwahati, 23rd July: The Assam forest department is investigating the death and subsequent burial of a wild elephant on the premises of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) without informing the relevant authorities. The incident allegedly occurred on July 18, when a female elephant was suspected to have been electrocuted by a live wire in the refinery’s Butterfly Park.
An NRL spokesperson described the incident as unfortunate and confirmed the company’s cooperation with the forest department’s investigation. She explained that the elephant was buried before management was notified, primarily due to fears of an attack by the rest of the herd present nearby. The spokesperson denied any intention to cover up the incident and assured adherence to the investigation’s outcome.
The conservation group Aaranyak expressed deep concern and outrage, highlighting the incident as a reminder of the threats faced by elephants in their natural habitats, particularly in the critical elephant corridor of the Golaghat district. Aaranyak condemned the refinery’s actions as a violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2022. The group urged immediate action from the forest department, including filing a case against NRL for violating the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2022.