Female jumbo dies succumbs electrocution

Dhenkanal: A female elephant, aged between 15 and 20 years, was found dead on Monday in a paddy field near Srimantapur village. The carcass was spotted around 7 am near Bega Reserve Forest under Sadangi Range of Dhenkanal Forest Division.

Officials said a preliminary investigation revealed the elephant was electrocuted after coming into contact with an illegal electric fence connected to a household power supply. The fence was erected around an agricultural field. The solar fence, intended to deter wildlife, was illegally connected to the domestic power line and became lethally charged.

Police have detained Mana Goya (25), a resident of Simantapur, for interrogation in connection with the incident as further investigation continues. According to officials, a post-mortem examination was carried out by a team of three veterinary doctors as per the prescribed procedure. A joint spot inspection was conducted at the site by the RCCF, Angul; the DFO, Dhenkanal; the Executive Engineer of Tata Power; the Electrical Inspector; and a Joint Task Force (JTF) team to ascertain the circumstances leading to the elephant’s death, officials said.

Divisional Forest Officer Lalit Kumar Patra said electrocution has been cited as the prima facie cause of death, adding that the final findings will depend on the post-mortem report and the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

Repeated incidents of elephant electrocution have raised serious concerns regarding human-elephant conflicts and wildlife safety. The DFO said that strict legal action will be initiated against those found responsible, in accordance with applicable laws.