Bandhavgarh elephant deaths: High-level team by Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav finds no ‘conspiracy’ theory 

High-level team investigates mysterious deaths of 10 elephants in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, ruling out conspiracy theories.

“A high-level team sent by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) following the death of 10 elephants has not come across any ‘conspiracy’ theory,” one of its members said.

The team comprising Pradeep Ahirwar, Madhya Pradesh Minister for Forest; Additional Chief Secretary Ashok Baranwal and head of Forest Force Aseem Shrivastava on Saturday (November 2, 2024) visited the site inside the reserve where the elephants died.

Four wild elephants were found dead at Sankhani and Bakeli under the BTR's Khitoli range on October 29. Four more pachyderms died on October 30 and two the next day.

“According to wildlife expert Ajay Dubey, never before have 10 elephants died within a 72-hour period in the country. The autopsy of the carcasses has pointed to toxicity along with huge quantities of kodo millets in their stomachs,” as per officials.

The Union Environment Ministry has said that the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has set up a team to investigate the elephant deaths. The Madhya Pradesh government has also formed a committee to look into the incident.

Four elephants found dead, five unwell in M.P.’s Bandhavgarh tiger reserve

An official on Saturday (November 3, 2024) said the CM rushed Mr. Ahirwar and the two top bureaucrats to the reserve and asked them to submit a report on the elephant deaths which have made national headlines.