'Khora', the killer tusker is dead

JAMUGURIHAT, September 5: The leader of the wild tuskers (popularly known as 'khora' by farmers) of Panpur reserve forest (the sixth addition of Kaziranga National Park) died at Hatimora Tapu, 3 k.m. away from Panpurghat under Jamuguri police station. According to eyewitness accounts, the tusker had received serious injuries in its mouth which deprived it of food for more than 35 days as it took shelter at the Ghiladhari river-bed (a tributary of Brahmaputra), and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Sources said the wild tusker had been leading a herd of 28 to 32 wild elephants from Panpur reserve forest to the different villages of Jamuguri area during winter and creating havoc and damaging paddy fields. Later, forest officials removed the tusks after a nine-hour operation. According to forest sources, the value of the two tusks is more than Rs 21 lakh in the international market.