A forest court here on Sunday sent two accused to jail in a case filed over killing an endangered Asian elephant by electrocution last November in Sreebardi upazila.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Shariful Islam Khan passed the order to send accused farmer Somej Uddin, 44, and Md Shajalal, 41, to Sherpur district jail after they surrendered and appealed for bail.
The other two accused in the case, Amej Uddin and Md Ashraful, are still absconding.
Defence lawyer advocate Rafiqul Islam Adhar said his clients are not guilty as the incident of elephant killing was not planned. To get justice the two farmers surrendered today following the court’ summons and appealed for bail, he said.
On November 9, an elephant got electrocuted and died while searching for food after being trapped in electrified GI wires installed by local farmers around their vegetable farming lands at Sonajhuri Hillock in the upazila.
On November 11, in a first for the district, Forest Department of Sreebardi upazila in Sherpur filed a case against four people.
In-charge range officer of the Balijuri range Rabiul Islam filed the case under the Wild Life Act at the Sreebardi court, followed by a general diary lodged at the Sreebardi police station.
As the four accused didn’t appear on the set date of the Court’s summons on December 12, it issued arrest warrant against them.
The case was filed for violating schedule-1 of the Wild Life (Preservation and Security) Act, 2012 under Section 36 of the act.
Under section 36(1) of the Act, the illegal killing of tigers and elephants is punishable with up to 7 years imprisonment and in case of recurrence of the offence, the punishment can be extended up to 12 years imprisonment.
Section 36(2) specifies that if anybody trades in tiger or elephant or any other product, he or she is liable to suffer 3 years’ imprisonment, which can be extended up to 5 years in case of recurrence.
According to forest officials, in the last two decades some 30 wild Asian elephants have died in the hilly area of Sherpur district.
Of them many died by gunshot, electrocution, poisoning while some died due to accidents, ageing and sickness, said the officials.
Source: United News of Bangladesh