Guwahati, July 24: Two senior officials of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) were arrested by forest authorities on Wednesday in connection with the “mysterious death” and “secret burial” of a female elephant at NRL Township in Upper Assam’s Golaghat district.
The arrested officials are Ujjal Nayan Handique, chief manager of NRL Township, and Bedanga Kashyap, manager of NRL Township. They have been charged under case number G/WL/02/2024-25 under the Forest Conservation Act, 1972.
Following a six-hour interrogation by a team of forest personnel led by investigation officer forester Sariful Islam at Salmara Forest Range office, the duo was arrested. They were subsequently produced before the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Golaghat, who remanded them to 14-day judicial custody.
The elephant was electrocuted on July 18 after contacting an exposed armoured cable in Butterfly Park, adjacent to the NRL township. The carcass was discovered on July 19, prompting the forest authorities to file a case against the two senior NRL officials. It is alleged that the animal was secretly buried inside NRL Township at the advice of the two accused officers.
The oil refinery reported the death late, after burying the carcass, a severe violation given the elephant’s Schedule 1 status under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972. The carcass was exhumed, and a post-mortem was conducted, with results expected by July 23.
Golaghat Divisional Forest Officer Sushil Kumar Thakuria stated that the investigation is ongoing as the elephant was buried without informing forest officials.
Environmental activist Apurba Ballav Goswami, who has been vocal against the death and burial of the elephant expressed satisfaction at the arrest of the officials.
