Sambalpur/Rourkela: It was a bad day for pachyderms, as a female elephant was electrocuted while a jumbo calf was run over by a train in separate incidents of mishaps in Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts, Sunday.
In the first case, a female elephant, approximately 15 years old, was electrocuted after its trunk accidentally came in contact with a live overhead 11kv transmission wire at Charadpasi Chahatapada under Ghosaramal forest section and Redhakhole forest division in Sambalpur district, Saturday night. The incident occurred about 100metres from Redhakhole-Naktideula road near the Ranchi-Vijayawada national highway.
Sources said that a 50-member elephant herd had sneaked into the area few days back and were moving around after splitting into several groups. The incident occurred when 15-member herd strayed into farmlands in Chahatapada and started destroying crops.
The forest officials followed them and tried to drive them away. As a result, the herd left Chahatapada jungle and tried to cross the national highway to enter into the jungle on the other side. However, while crossing the trunk of the female elephant on the front accidentally touched the live overhead wire and it was electrocuted.
The other elephants following it stood guard near the carcass for a long a time and refused to budge from the place. On being informed, Redhakhole DFO Arabinda Mohanty, ACF Malatilata Hansda, Naktideula ranger Aswini Kumar Behera reached the spot and launched an investigation.
Forest officials and Power department officials reached the spot Sunday and launched an investigation. A poster-mortem was conducted on the carcass before burying it at the spot. Locals alleged that the animal died as overhead 11kv wires had been drawn at a short height from the ground.
The DFO said that the overhead wires will be removed and underground cable wires will be laid in the area. It should be stated here that two elephants were electrocuted in Redhakhole forest range during last two months.
In the second incident, a jumbo calf was run over by a goods train near the Choradhara railway siding under Barsuan forest range in Sundargarh district. Later in a heart-wrenching scene, a herd of elephants including its mother was spotted guarding the carcass lying on the railway track.
The herd was not allowing anyone to come near the body. All efforts by the forest officials to reach and recover the body failed as the herd was in no mood to budge from the place.
The mishap occurred when the herd comprising six elephants and a calf was crossing the railway track. The train hit the calf causing its death on the spot.
DFO Bonai Lalitra Patra could not be contacted. However, a junior official of the department said the actual reason of the death can only be ascertained when the body is retrieved and proper examination is done.
PNN