Two land in jail over killing Asian elephant in Sherpur
A forest court Sunday sent two accused to jail in a case filed over killing an endangered Asian elephant by electrocution last November in Sreebardi upazila, reports UNB.
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 Sunday following the court' summons and appealed for bail, he said.
On 9 November, 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 11 November, 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.