The committee, headed by retired PCCF Ajay Mishra, constituted by the Forest Department to probe the death of Arjuna, the tusker, visited Hassan on Thursday and collected information from the officers.
Arjuna, the tusker, died in a fight with a wild elephant during an elephant capture operation at Yeslur Range of Forest on December 4. The team visited the Dabbalikatte Forest area in Sakaleshpur, where the tusker had been buried. Later, the members met the officers of the Forest Department, who were involved in the operation on the day, and collected information about the incident.
Arjuna, which carried the howdah during Mysuru Dasara celebrations eight times, and other tamed and trained elephants were involved in the operation to capture trouble-causing elephants in Hassan district.
During the operation, the wild elephant, which was targeted for capture, attacked Arjuna. Following the incident, caretakers of the elephant and others alleged that Arjuna died due to the negligence of senior officers at the spot. There were allegations that Arjuna was shot at by mistake, and that led to its death. However, senior officers denied the allegations and maintained that Arjuna died due to injuries he suffered in the fight.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre ordered a probe by a committee into the death.
