Pathanamthitta, Tuesday 06 July 2010: The body of a wild tusker was found in a putrefied condition in the forests near Kumbalathamon near Vadasserikkara in Ranni forest division.

According to Forest department, the elephant carcass with worms swarming was first sighted by a group of people residing in the forest fringes on Monday.

Local residents launched a search in the forest fringes as a foul smell had engulfed the entire area since the past two days. They informed the Forest officials at Ranni, later.

Forest personnel from Ranni and Vadasserikkara inspected the site on Monday forenoon. According to sources, the carcass is four to five days’ old and both tusks were intact.

Autopsy on the carcass will be carried out today and will be cremated in the forests, later.