Guwahati: In a tragic incident, yet another wild elephant was electrocuted to death after coming into contact with a high-voltage electricity line in Assam’s Udalguri district on Monday.
According to locals, the elephant was laying on the ground.
“We have spotted the elephant and immediately informed the forest officials about the matter. They came and check the elephant and declared that the elephant died last night after coming in contact with high-voltage electric wire,” said a local resident.
The incident took place near the India-Bhutan border in Hatigarh.
This is the fourth elephant to be electrocuted in Assam in the past month.
Three elephants were killed after coming into contact with high-voltage electricity lines on the outskirts of Guwahati earlier this month.
“We have initiated an investigation into the death of the jumbo.The elephant had wandered out of the forest area in search of food,” said an forest official.
Around 250 elephants have died over the last 10 years in Assam. The northeastern state had the second-highest population of wild elephants (5,719) in India after Karnataka as per a 2017 census.
Electrocution, poisoning, and train accidents have been among the causes of elephant deaths in Assam. Farmers often use electric fences to protect their crops from elephants.