Umaria (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 30 (ANI): Death toll of elephants at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) located in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district rose to eight, and one more is undergoing treatment, said P K Verma, Deputy director of BTR on Wednesday evening.

On Tuesday four elephants, from a herd of 13 elephants, were found dead in the BTR while four others were found ill during the normal patrolling. On receiving the information, the forest official reached the spot and identified that it was a herd of 13 elephants. Among them two were normal and healthy while the treatment of remaning ill elephants were initaited, the officer said.

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He further said that during the treatment three more elephants died on Tuesday night and one more died on Wednesday, taking the toll to eight.

Department of Forest, Madhya Pradesh posted on official X handle, "Latest update on Bandhavgarh Elephant death incident. A total of eight elephants died, one is undergoing treatment, two are fully recovered by treatment and two are healthy and normal."

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Currently a post mortem is being carried out by Veterinarians and SWFH (School of Wildlife Forensic and Health) Jabalpur and veterinarians from Kanha Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve were also reaching the spot for further assistance, it added.

"STSF head and his team along with a dog squad is combing and investigating the case. AIG NTCA central Zone Nandakishore Kale is also on the spot and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) New Delhi has constituted a committee for investigation," it further added.

Meanwhile, the Congress party accuses negligence of the death of elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and demands the resignation of the Forest Minister.

Congress spokesperson Abbas Hafeez told ANI, "It is a matter of great concern how carelessly the Forest Department is working. If elephants are dying in a protected sanctuary like Bandhavgarh, it is a matter of concern. We already have less number of elephants, there are 50 to 80 in Madhya Pradesh. Because they have migrated from Chhattisgarh but before 2018 there were only 7, now in such a situation, the death of elephants shows that the careless government has a careless Forest Department."

It is a matter of investigation though the Forest Minister and Animal Husbandry Minister both should resign. They are not able to do their work properly and an investigation should be conducted to ascertain the reason behind the incident, he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, MP Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat expressed concern over the incident and directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) Madhya Pradesh to immediately constitute an SIT and take strict action against the guilty. (ANI)

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