Krishnamoorthy said earlier that samples (viscera) of the elephants have been sent to the School of Forensic Medicine and Wildlife Health (SWFH) in Jabalpur to find out the toxins, if any, and the cause of death.

He was responding to a question about whether the elephants had consumed poisonous pesticides sprayed on the fields.

“Only after the reports come in can we come to a conclusion on the cause of death. Post mortem reports suspect it could be due to Kodo millet,” MP Principal Conservator of Forests (PCCF-Wildlife), VKN Ambade, told PTI.

Quoting BTR employees, a senior veterinarian said the pachyderms fell to the ground and trembled before dying.

A ground duty officer said the forest department has identified six farmers from whose field jumbos ate kodo millet, adding that the reports would clarify whether any pesticide was mixed or sprayed on the crop.

Meanwhile, a five-member team of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau in Delhi continued its investigation into the deaths on the second day on Friday.

Officials said the National Tiger Conservation Authority Nagpur Regional Officer, Deputy Inspector General of Forests Nandkishore Kale, continued his investigations at the BTR.

“The state tiger strike force also visited nearby agricultural land, paddy fields, water bodies etc. about kodo millet. All the dead elephants were part of a herd of 13. One of the dead elephants was a male. The other three of the herds are healthy, they are being monitored,” another official said.

Krishnamoorthy said earlier that veterinarians have suggested chances of (presence of) mycotoxins associated with kodo millet.