Director Suspended, Elephant Deaths Stir Controversy at Bandhavgarh

The Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve's Field Director in Madhya Pradesh has been suspended following the deaths of ten elephants. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered the suspension during a meeting with forest officials. An investigation is underway, and the government has raised ex-gratia compensation for families affected by elephant attacks.

The Field Director of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh has been suspended after ten elephants died, according to officials. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav made this move during a meeting with forest department officials on Sunday.

The Chief Minister also refuted earlier suspicions of pesticide use on crops, which were considered a possible cause. Yadav stated there is no evidence supporting pesticide-related deaths in preliminary reports and expected to receive detailed postmortem results within days.

Meanwhile, in response to a recent wild elephant attack, the state government has increased ex-gratia compensation from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for families who have lost loved ones. Forest Environment Minister Dileep Ahirwar, along with senior forest officials, conducted a site visit to review the situation. Their findings will be reported to CM Yadav. Meanwhile, the Union Environment Ministry has also formed a team to investigate these elephant fatalities.

(With inputs from agencies.)