Berhampur: A day after a tusker was found dead in a mango orchard at Gobindaprasad village under Sadar forest range of Dhenkanal district, another jumbo was found dead in Ganjam district Monday.
The elephant in all probability came in contact with a high voltage electric live wire in a cashew orchard near Dhaupalli village under North Ghumsur forest division in Ganjam district.
Confirming electrocution as the reason for the animal’s death, the villagers said there is an 11KV power transmission line going through at a low height above the orchard. Searching for food, a herd of eight elephants was passing through the area Sunday night. One of them could have come in contact with the live wire and got electrocuted.
On being informed, Forest department officials reached the spot and started an investigation into the matter.
Notably, a tusker was found dead in a mango orchard at Gobindaprasad village under Sadar forest range of Dhenkanal district Sunday. While local people were of the opinion that the elephant must have died after coming in contact with solar fencing around the orchard, the forest officials were of different opinion. According to them, the voltage in solar fence is not enough to kill a huge animal like elephant. The fence must have been charged with high voltage.
“We are waiting for the postmortem report. Action will be taken based on the postmortem report,” ACF Rashmiranjan Swain had said.
PNN