Digboi: The disappearance of Assam’s critically injured captive elephant ‘Mangal Singh‘ has raised concern among wildlife activists, who questioned whether delays in official decisions affected its chances of receiving timely treatment.
The elephant, which was suffering from a severe tusk infection, went missing on July 28 and is believed to have entered the Pengaree Reserve Forest, raising concerns about both its condition and the risk of poaching.
The elephant disappeared on the same day a joint team comprising the Ranger of Margherita Range, the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) veterinarian Mehendi Hassan examined it at Ketetong near Janajati High School.
According to family members of owner Sanjoy Duwania, the team informed them that it would return in about 10 days after arranging diagnostic facilities, including X-ray equipment, for a detailed examination.
Until then, the officials reportedly advised the owner to move the elephant to his residence at Pangna village, near the forest, where it could feed naturally while remaining under observation.
According to the family, the elephant broke free while being taken to Pangna after the mahout was reportedly injured. It then entered the adjoining Pengaree Reserve Forest and has remained untraced since.
The disappearance came about a week after Duwania submitted a representation to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force, Assam, through the DFO, Digboi, seeking permission to shift the elephant to Kaziranga for specialised treatment and long-term rehabilitation.
The representation, submitted on July 21, stated that the elephant had suffered a serious tusk injury that developed a severe infection and required specialised veterinary care, continuous monitoring, better nutrition and rehabilitation.
It was reportedly supported by wildlife veterinarian Arindam Kishore Pachoni, WTI veterinarian Mehendi Hassan, officials of the Margherita Block Veterinary Dispensary and wildlife activist Samiran Hatimuriya of the Aaranyak Animal Care Centre, Kaziranga.
The disappearance has also drawn criticism from wildlife activists over the handling of the case.
Addressing a press conference, Sivasagar-based wildlife activist Samiran Hatimuriya, who was associated with the elephant’s treatment, said he withdrew from the rescue effort after differences with the DFO, Digboi.
He alleged that despite repeated recommendations from the veterinary team, the DFO opposed shifting the elephant to Kaziranga for advanced treatment. Hatimuriya further claimed that when he raised the issue, the officer responded, “Who are you to poke your nose into the matter?”
Hatimuriya said the elephant’s tusk cavity had developed a deep infection and was heavily infested with maggots. According to him, he regularly cleaned the wound and removed the maggots to prevent the infection from worsening.
“If the elephant dies somewhere inside the forest in its present condition, who will be held accountable?” Hatimuriya asked, alleging that there was “something fishy” in the handling of the case. He maintained that refusing permission to shift the elephant to Kaziranga denied it timely specialised treatment and reduced its chances of recovery.
Following the elephant’s disappearance, wildlife activists expressed concern that the injured animal could become vulnerable to poaching. They urged the Forest Department and law enforcement agencies to intensify search operations, strengthen surveillance along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh forest corridors and ensure immediate veterinary treatment if the elephant is found.
Search operations were continuing till the filing of this report. Sources in the office of the DFO, Digboi, said teams, along with local residents and relatives of owner Sanjoy Duwania, were searching in and around the Pengaree Reserve Forest.
Despite repeated attempts, Northeast Now could not obtain an official response from senior Wildlife Department authorities in Guwahati. Calls and messages seeking their comments remained unanswered till the filing of this report.
The allegations against the DFO, Digboi, could not be independently verified, as the officer was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to contact him.