One of the wild elephants that was electrocuted in Khanapur’s Nagargali range earlier this month. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
Belagavi-based conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni has urged the state government to conduct a high-level inquiry into the death of two wild elephants in Belagavi district and initiate legal action against officials if found guilty of negligence or dereliction of duty.
In a letter to the state government, Mr. Kulkarni thanked Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre for ordering the electrocution of two wild elephants in the Nagargali Forest Range on November 2, ordering the Chief Wildlife Warden to investigate the incident and determine whether there was any dereliction of duty by department officials.
However, he suspected that this incident is similar to the previous one where five tigers were poisoned to death in Hoogyam Range in MM Hills as an act of retaliation.
“In that case, the state government tried to fix the responsibility by suspending the DCF, ACF and RFO and taking action against other officers. The death of the elephants should also be taken as seriously as it was in the previous case. The incident underscores the urgent need for a rigorous investigation and decisive action, and therefore I call for a high-level investigation team to be set up. In this regard, I am strictly submitting the following petition. compliance with the binding judicial directions of the Supreme Court,” he said.
He said the following urgent measures, including the setting up of a high-level commission of inquiry, preferably headed by an officer of the rank of APCCF, to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, verify compliance and recommend corrective and preventive measures, in line with the precedent set in the Hoogyam Range MM Hills tiger poisoning case.
“I request that a high-level independent investigation team, preferably headed by an officer of the rank of APCCF, be set up with instructions to personally visit the Nagargali range as soon as possible for an independent inspection and on-the-spot investigation. Such investigation is necessary to ensure an objective assessment of the ground reality, verify compliance with statutory and court-ordered obligations and initiate immediate remedial action where necessary.”
His demands include directing the Chief Conservator of Forests, Belagavi Circle, and the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Belagavi Division, to submit verified and factual compliance reports to the directions issued by the High Court of Karnataka in Writ Petition No. 14029/2008 and Writ Petition No. 16219/2008, including detailed supporting documents at the 16219/2024 level. evidence if such reports have already been submitted to Chief Wildlife Garden and APCCF (Project Elephant).
Immediate initiation of action against the concerned ACFs and RFOs pending the completion of a detailed, independent investigation, introduction of a time-bound inquiry to determine liability for electrocution, submission of a comprehensive compliance report on the steps taken by the Department to fully implement all Supreme Court directives in Belagavi Division and other elephant-bearing areas and immediate coordination with the Illegal Electricity Elimination Department to rectify the hazards of electricity. country.
Copies of the letter have been sent to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Conservator Prabhash Chandra Ray, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Biswajit Mishra and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Project Elephant) Manoj Rajan.
Published – 28 Nov 2025 19:34 IST
