An injured baby elephant rescued by Wild Life officials from a house at Balangoda on August 8 and thereafter relocated to Udawalawe died on Wednesday (Aug. 19 night).

Wild Life officials said that acting on a tip off a special Wild Life team had found the elephant and arrested three persons.

They were produced before Balangoda Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage and remanded till August 20.

Sources said that an experienced veterinary surgeon had treated the animal locked up in a room before Wild Life officials had moved in. Sources said that a gang of persons had stolen the calf from the Udawalawe National park. The Wild Life officials and police are expected to question the veterinary surgeon in this regard.