Two Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) Township officials were arrested by Golaghat Police over the recent death of a female wild elephant, as per reports on Wednesday. They were arrested for allegedly trying to cover up the elephant death that occurred due to electrocution.
The arrested officials have been identified as Chief Manager Ujjal Nayan Handique, and Senior Manager Bedanga Kashyap of NRL Township and Estate.
This comes after the buried remains of an elephant were recovered in the NRL Township near Kaziranga National Park on Friday (July 19) morning causing widespread outrage among conservationists.
The duo have been accused of not informing the forest department and trying to cover up the death of the female tusker. The police arrested the duo after questioning them under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 based on recommendations of the Golaghat forest division.
Earlier, NRL Liaison Officer Mintu Handique reported that the elephant was electrocuted on July 18 in the Butterfly Park within the NRL Township.
"Elephants frequent the township due to the adjacent habitat. It appears the elephant encountered an exposed electrical wire, resulting in its death. Fearing repercussions, some staff buried the remains. Upon being informed, management intervened and contacted forest officials to avoid violating wildlife laws," Handique said.
NRL officials had confirmed that the forest department had been informed and they are investigating the allegations.
Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Sushil Kumar Thakuria had stated that they consider the incident a wildlife crime. "We were notified on the evening of July 18, but due to darkness, we could only recover the remains on the morning of July 19. The burial of the elephant without informing forest officials is being investigated as a wildlife crime," Thakuria added. He mentioned that the cause of death would be determined after a post-mortem examination.
Environmental activist and journalist Apurba Ballav Goswami demanded action against those responsible for burying the elephant. "Elephants are protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. The electrocution and subsequent cover-up at an oil refinery township warrant severe punishment under the Act. These electrical lines, carelessly laid by NRL, caused the incident. Elephants frequently visit this area, highlighting the need for a thorough investigation," Goswami said.
Notably, NRL Township, located about 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park, has faced controversies due to negative human-elephant interactions.
NRL's expansion plans, including a golf course through the elephant habitat, led to the construction of a 2.2-kilometre-long wall in 2014. In August 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the demolition of the wall built over the Deopahar Elephant Corridor and fined NRL Rs 25 lakh for environmental damage. NGT also mandated compensatory afforestation for the trees felled during the township's construction.
