A female elephant died of bullet injuries on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The officials suspect that the wounds could have been inflicted by either poachers or a estate owner.
The animal was found, bleeding severely, near the Kodihalli forest range near the Bannerghatta National Park on Tuesday, sources at the Forest Department said.
They suspect that the pachyderm might have been shot near Neralatti Kere near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. There were bloodstains at different places between Neralatti Kere and Byalamara, sources added. Following the incident, the Forest and Police Department officials have initiated a joint investigation.
The post-mortem was conducted and the carcass was burnt at the spot.
Most waterbodies on the elephant corridor, from Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Chamarajanagar district to Savandurga Range in Ramanagaram district, have dried due to drought. The movement of elephants for food and water is common. The animal could have strayed from its herd, sources added.
