Golaghat: The death of a pregnant wild elephant named Durga in Assam’s Golaghat district has triggered strong demands for an independent inquiry, with wildlife activists alleging official negligence and failure to provide timely medical intervention. Durga died at Doigrung in Numaligarh on August 17 after reportedly suffering from multiple health problems. She was also fitted with a malfunctioning radio collar weighing around 20 kg. A post-mortem examination later found a nearly fully developed calf in her womb. Wildlife group Elephant Monitors Assam alleged that it had repeatedly alerted forest authorities about Durga’s deteriorating condition. The group said it had first sought removal of the radio collar in March after a government veterinary examination in January reportedly found that the elephant was unwell and required treatment.
According to the activists, Durga’s condition worsened around August 14 when she reportedly began passing blood in her urine and stopped eating. They claimed repeated requests for urgent medical intervention did not result in effective action. A medical team from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) reportedly visited the elephant on August 15. Activists alleged that no treatment was provided at the time. Durga died around 1.30 pm on August 17. The Forest Department subsequently conducted a post-mortem and buried the elephant within the tea garden.
Wildlife organisations and local residents have now demanded a high-level inquiry to establish the exact cause of death and determine whether timely intervention could have saved Durga and her unborn calf. The incident has also renewed concerns over protocols governing the installation, maintenance and monitoring of radio collars on wild elephants. The demand for accountability comes amid Assam’s continuing human-elephant conflict. Official data presented in the state Assembly showed that 246 elephants died in conflict-related incidents over the reported period, with electrocution and train accidents among the leading causes.
