Mahanadi boat tragedy: Stranded elephant died of cardiac shock, reveals post-mortem report

Bhubaneswar: The elephant that was found dead near Jobra a couple of days after the last September 24 boat tragedy at Mundali barrage in river Mahanadi died due to cardiac shock not due to drowning.

Head of OUAT Pathology department S Panda said as per the preliminary post-mortem report, the tusker died due to cardiac or cardiogenic shock after remaining stuck in water for a long time.

He said the elephant did not die due to drowning. It drowned after the cardiogenic shock.

The tusker, a member of a herd of elephants got stuck in river Mahanadi near Mundali barrage while on its way towards Dampara forest from Athagarha forest on September 24 last.

As the elephant could not get out of the river bed and reach the bank due to the strong current of the river, despite its best efforts a rescue operation was launched to rescue the elephant.

While trying to rescue the elephant a boat of the ODRAF team deployed to rescue the elephant capsized near Mundali barrage. A journalist of the local news channel and a member of the ODRAF team died following the mishap.

A young tusker died, who was caught Mahanadi river in #Odisha. Two journalists along with five men, ventured into the river, despite their lack of experience in disaster operations trying to steer the elephant back on land. One Odisha journalist died after the boat capsized. pic.twitter.com/VKJPJC5cyp

— Voice for Asian Elephants Society (VFAES) (@vfaes_org) September 30, 2021

The elephant was swept away and its carcass was found near jobra a couple of days later. (UNI)