Odisha Government Issues Show-Cause Notice to Forest Officer Over Elephant Death Probe Lapses
The Odisha government has taken strict action against a senior forest officer for alleged negligence in handling the investigation into the death of an elephant in Kandhamal district. A show-cause notice has been issued to Baliguda divisional forest officer (DFO) Ghanashyam Mahanta, demanding an explanation for multiple procedural failures.
Details of the Incident and Government Notice
According to official documents, the elephant carcass was discovered by forest squads in the Jhiripani section of the Belaghar range on January 5, 2026. However, the DFO reported the incident to the government only on January 22, a delay of 17 days. The notice, issued on February 13 by Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, principal secretary of the forest, environment and climate change department, highlights this as a major lapse.
The notice states: "It is surprising that as the DFO you got information about the incident nine days later, that too from media personnel." This delay violated prescribed guidelines that require immediate reporting within 24 hours of detection to authorities such as the chief wildlife warden, collector, and regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF).
Alleged Negligence and Procedural Violations
The government's notice outlines several key failures by DFO Mahanta:
- Failure to Visit the Spot: As per government rules, the DFO must rush to the spot immediately for inquiry. Instead, Mahanta deputed Suryakant Behera, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), for the initial probe. The notice criticizes this as "negligence and dereliction of statutory duty."
- Shifting of Responsibility: Even after learning about the incident, Mahanta did not conduct the inquiry himself and assigned the task to another ACF, Manoranjan Bagha. The notice describes this as reflecting a "casual attitude and shifting of responsibility."
- Inadequate Investigation: The DFO failed to ascertain the cause of the elephant's death and identify the offenders, further compounding the negligence.
Evidence of Possible Cover-Up and Government Action
The notice reveals disturbing details about the handling of the carcass. Deputy ranger of Belaghar, Binaya Kumar Bishi, shifted the elephant carcass first to the Kadapana nursery near Belaghar and then to Kantesir village in Kalahandi district after cutting it into pieces. This unusual movement raised red flags.
The government observed: "The DFO’s report and subsequent action by his staff indicated a possible attempt to suppress an unnatural death and suggested connivance of staff, warranting timely investigation and arrest of the offenders — but no action has been taken by you so far."
In response to these lapses, the government has sought Mahanta's reply within 15 days, asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. Earlier, the government had suspended ACF Suryakant Behera and deputy ranger Binaya Kumar Bishi. Forest officials have since arrested eight persons and seized five vehicles in connection with the case, according to sources.
DFO Ghanashyam Mahanta did not respond to calls for comment on the matter. This incident underscores ongoing challenges in wildlife protection and administrative accountability in Odisha's forest departments.
