Killing of an elephant in Yala National Park Civil security constable taken into custody

• The elephant’s carcass was found lying on the road 
• The jumbo had received three gunshot injuries and had eaten maize a little while before its death

By M.K. Nandasena  

A civil security constable was taken into custody by the Tangalle Division Anti-Vice Unit in connection with the killing of an elephant in the Yala National Park.  

A wild elephant from the Yala National Park frequenting Sithulpawwa road had been shot dead and its carcass lying on the road had been recovered by the wildlife conservators.  

Veterinary Surgeon in the Udawalawa Elephant Transit Home Dr. Ananda Dharmakeerthi who conducted the post-mortem examination reported that the jumbo had received three gunshot injuries and that it had eaten maize a little while before its death.  

The police on suspicion questioned the Civil Security Constable who owned a maize cultivation by the Sithulpawwa road to find that he had shot the jumbo with a T56 rifle. Police are conducting further investigation into how the suspect owned a T56 rifle.