Mahasamund (Chhattisgarh): Two elephants have been electrocuted after the poachers set up loose wires with an 11 KV power line near the Kodar reservoir. The elephant patrol team rushed to the spot when they were informed that elephants were spotted in the area three days ago. The forest staff from Raipur and Mahasamund rushed to the spot and also called the veterinary doctors at around 11 pm on Saturday. The carcasses of the tuskers were sent for post-mortem and will be cremated, said an official of the forest department.
On December 28, another elephant was electrocuted after it came in contact with a live electric cable on a farm near Kurdeg village of Bagicha forest range in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district. A villager, Ravi Nagvanshi, said, "I came to know that a herd of elephants was roaming around the village and they were damaging crops in the area for the last two to three days." He then found an elephant dead in the field. Later, the villagers informed the forest department about the incident.
Also read: Chhattisgarh's oldest elephant 'Civil Bahadur' laid to rest
Forest Range Officer Ashok Singh reached the spot, along with his team, started preparation for the post-mortem of the dead tusker. "It is learnt that 20 to 25 elephants from the Surguja-Sitapur area crossed from this area. These elephants moved towards the Lundra region while one elephant died after it came in contact with live electric wires," said Singh.
"We had written letters to the electricity department in the past regarding illegal power connection from electric poles and tightening loose wires. Now, action is being taken against the accused under sections of the Forest act, who resorted to power pilferage due to which the elephant died," he added. The forest department claimed to curb these incidents and will also nab the poachers in the area soon.
