A tusker died due to electrocution after getting in contact with an electric cable in a farm near Kurdeg village of Bagicha forest range in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district on Wednesday, a forest official said.

A villager, Ravi Nagvanshi said, “A herd of four elephants was roaming around the village and they were damaging crops in the area for the last 2-3 days. In the meantime on Wednesday morning, we found an elephant dead in the farm field. The villagers have informed the forest department about the incident.”

Forest Range Officer, Ashok Singh said, “Four elephants from Surguja-Sitapur area have crossed from this area last night. Three elephants moved towards the Lundra region while one elephant died after getting in contact with electric wires.”

“We had written letters in the past to the electricity department regarding hooking (illegal power connection from electric poles) and tightening of loose wires. Now, action is being taken against the accused person, who had done hooking due to which the elephant died, under sections of forest act,” Singh added.

Earlier on November 30, an elephant died due to electrocution after coming in contact with an electric cable in the Kansabel forest area of Jashpur district.
Before that on November 27, the carcass of an elephant was found in the Ghui Forest Examination Centre in the Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh, an official said. (ANI)