Elephant knocks down electric post, dies of electrocution

COIMBATORE: A 25-year-old wild elephant was found dead after being electrocuted. The incident happened Thursday morning near Thondamuthur in Coimbatore. Forest department officials said the incident happened when the elephant, which had come out of the forest on Wednesday night, entered a farm in Raman Kuttai near Kuppepalayam.

The elephant was electrocuted while knocking down a high voltage electric post installed by the electricity board on the edge of the plantation in the farm. With this, the elephant was electrocuted by the live wire that fell on the ground killing it on the spot.

On being informed, forest department officials and a team of doctors immediately reached the spot. The post-mortem examination confirmed that the cause of death was electrocution. An investigation is underway to determine whether there were any defects in the safety of the power line.

The incident comes at a time when the elephant nuisance that has been frequent in the region recently has spread fear among the locals. Locals have complained that elephants regularly enter agricultural and residential areas in the Thondamuthur forest area, destroying crops and spreading panic.

A few days ago, the forest department had captured and relocated an elephant known as 'Rolex' that had entered a residential area and created panic. Forest department officials said that steps are being taken to strengthen the fences installed on the forest boundaries, monitor the movement of elephants and ensure that power lines are safe.