Assam: Fresh allegations rock Manas as claims emerge of 5 more elephants killed in Panbari range

Manas National Park finds itself at the center of growing outrage, as fresh allegations have surfaced over the killing of eight wild elephants, including five reportedly slaughtered a week before the widely reported killing of three elephants two days ago. 

The Manas Jeep Safari Association, during a press conference at the park’s main entrance, leveled explosive claims against forest authorities, accusing them of suppressing the full extent of the poaching spree.

 

Bubul Nath, secretary of the Jeep Safari Association, alleged that forest officials concealed the earlier incident involving the deaths of five elephants in the dense jungles of the Panbari Range. Nath further claimed that several live bullets were recovered from the area days ago, yet this critical evidence was quietly hushed up by those in charge.

 

Joining the condemnation, the Manas Regional Students' Union and the All Adivasi Students' Association expressed grief and anger over the killings. They pointed fingers at the alleged inaction of the park administration and forest department, warning that such passivity has emboldened poachers operating within the world heritage site.

 

According to the Jeep Safari Association, the total death toll stands at eight elephants — five reportedly poached near the Sahebjhar and Falanji camps in Panbari Range, in addition to the three recently reported. They accused the forest department of deliberately keeping these facts under wraps to avoid public backlash.

 

Significantly, jeep safaris in Panbari have been suspended for over a week — a move the association suggested may be linked to the timing of these killings. The BTC’s forest department was squarely blamed for failing to protect Manas’ wildlife and was even accused of colluding with poachers to plunder the park’s natural treasures.

 

As Manas National Park operates under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the association and allied organizations alleged that the Assam government has shown inadequate urgency in addressing the escalating crisis. They demanded a high-level investigation by the Assam government and urgent intervention to safeguard the park’s endangered wildlife, particularly its vulnerable elephant population.