COIMBATORE: In a tragic incident, a mother and calf elephants were electrocuted at a farm near Mettupalayam on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday.
According to S Ramasubramaniam district forest officer of Coimbatore Forest, the female elephant was aged about 30 years and male calf elephant was at least six-years-old.
The pachyderms died after coming in contact with live power cable setup by a farmer Palanisamy in his grove at Dasampalayam village near Mettupalyam.
The incident happened just a kilometer away from Nellimalai Reserve Forest in Mettupalayam forest range.
"The grove owner claimed that he had used battery operated power setup on his grove to protect his crop. The animals could not die if the farmer used battery. In this regard, we have asked TANGEDCO officials to inspect the spot," said the DFO
Along with two elephants, another two-year-old calf elephant was also injured in the incident and it reportedly went inside the forest.
The Forest department officials are currently trying to track the calf to give it medical aid.
Wildlife Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT) founder N Sadiq Ali demanded strong action against the TANGEDCO officials who have failed to inspect the groves for safe journey for elephants.
The forest department should immediately handover such electrocution cases to the police department as the forest department is incapable of taking steps to provide punishment to farmers legally, said Sadiq Ali.