TURA, Nov 20 - An elephant calf was shot dead by unidentified miscreants in the Gaptuli Forest Reserve in West Garo Hills district.
Locals spotted the carcass this morning and informed Forest officials. Initially, the elephant calf was thought to have died of natural causes, but a bullet was found in its body during post-mortem examination.
�Prima facie it looks like the handiwork of a poaching gang, but what we failed to understand why they targeted the calf. Investigation is on,� said DFO (Wildlife) Arpiyush Sangma.
According to Forest officials, the calf was part of a small herd of three to four elephants. Meanwhile, the locals have demanded the arrest of those involved in the calf�s killing.
In a separate incident, a farmer was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in South West Garo Hills on Monday night near Mahendraganj bordering Bangladesh.
The deceased has been identified as Grenith D Marak. According to locals, he was trying to protect his crops.
