ERODE: A 40-year old man died of electrocution when he accidentally came into contact with an illegal high voltage electric fence at a farm land to prevent wild animals from damaging crops at a village in the district, police said.
Krishnamurthy, an agricultural labourer, was walking near the farm when he touched the fence connected to high tension power supply and was electrocuted to death on the spot near Sathyamangalam, about 70 km from, here, on Saturday.
Police said they have registered a case against the lessee of the land and investigations were on.
The fence was erected illicitly with HT electricity to prevent wild animals from entering the field and causing damage to crops, police said.
Deaths of elephants and other wild animals due to electrocution is a recurring problem in forest fringes in the district, especially in Sathyamangalam area, where several farmers go for the illegal high voltage wired fence to prevent damage to their crops.
Rules permit fences with low voltage to give a mild shock to keep away animals from entering farms.