Wild elephant electrocuted while entering village in Tamil Nadu

A male wild elephant was electrocuted while attempting to enter a village in Tamil Nadu. According to forest officials, the incident occurred after the elephant came in contact with a low-lying live wire of a power line. The electricity board officials have been summoned and the matter is being investigated, officials said.

Chennai: A male wild elephant was electrocuted today after it came in contact with a low-lying live wire of a power line in Appanur village near Attappady forest, officials said. The elephant was attempting to enter the village from the forest when the incident took place. It died on the spot.

There are many elephants in the Attappady forest of Kerala. These elephants usually move around in the forested areas along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The elephant had come out of the forest and entered the Appanur tribal village near Anaikatti. While moving inside the village, the elephant came in contact with in a poorly erected power line and immediately succumbed to its injuries.

Villagers said they rushed to the spot after hearing a loud trumpet of the elephant. When they reached here, they found the elephant was lying dead. On getting information about the incident, Aghasi forest department conducted an investigation into the elephant's death. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the live wire was not raised properly on the power line as a result of which it came on the elephant's way.

After this, officials of the state electricity board were summoned at the spot and the matter is being investigated. Meanwhile, the tribals of the village paid a floral tribute to the elephant.

According to reports, a total of 79 elephants have been electrocuted in Tamil Nadu in the last 10 years of which, 61 per cent deaths were due to illegal setting of power lines while remaining occurred when elephants hit electric poles.