Jharkhand BJP leader expresses concern on elephant deaths

Jamshedpur, Nov 22 (PTI) BJP leader Kunal Sarangi on Wednesday expressed concern over the frequent deaths of wild elephants in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district.

Reacting to the electrocution of five elephants in Musabani block on Tuesday, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Sarangi said the incident comes close on the heels of another incident at Chakulia in Ghatsila sub-division where two elephants were killed.

'Can there be any bigger example of apathy,' he questioned while targeting the state government.

Demanding stringent action against the erring forest officials, Sarangi, a former MLA, asked whether the role of the district forest officials was restricted to photo ops and fulfilling the formalities of compensation following the incident? 'What action was initiated in co-ordination with the electricity department to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the elephant corridor,' he wrote on X.

Sarangi urged the Union government to take cognizance of the Musabani incident and take necessary action.

Meanwhile, senior advocate Sudhir Kumar Pappu urged the Jharkhand High Court to take suo motu cognizance of the Musabani incident.

Five elephants including two calves were electrocuted Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district on Monday night after they came in contact with a live wire.

The incident took place at Beniasai village in the copper township of Musabani, around 45km from here under Ghatsila sub-division, divisional forest officer Mamta Priyadarshi had told PTI.

Following the incident, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri visited the spot and directed forest officials to submit a detailed report on the incident.

The DC directed power department officials to fix electric wires as per guidelines in forest areas without delay. PTI BS MNB