BERHAMPUR: A female elephant was allegedly electrocuted to death in Gunupur block of Rayagada district on Wednesday.
A few residents of Phulaputi village found the carcass in a cotton orchard in the morning and informed forest officials. Gunupur forest ranger Gangadhar Mishra along with his staff and those from the electricity department reached the spot and disconnected power supply in the area where the carcass was found.
He said basing on circumstantial evidence, the elephant, aged around 15 years, died due to electrocution. The elephant was one of the two that had entered Gunupur forest range from Kotraguda forest in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
The two elephants last night reached the orchard and damaged a hut and standing crop. They also hit a electric pole which got bent as a result of which the power conductors came crashing down.
While the female elephant came in direct contact with the conductor and died on the spot, the other too might have received electric shock and fled the spot.
Mishra said search is on to trace the other elephant. Sources said, last year, a six-member herd from Srikakulam had sneaked into Gunupur, but wre chased away. The herd returned to Srikakulam forest range and later four of them died of electrocution. Since then the two elephants were seen frequently moving in the area. In the afternoon, Rayagada DFO SA Saheb along with assistant conservator of forest Sandeep Prusty and veterinary surgeons reached the spot. While autopsy was conducted on the carcass, The Forest department has launched an investigation into the incident.