DHENKANAL: A 25-year-old tusker died on Saturday after coming in contact with a live wire near the Tamunda forest under the Bhapur section of the Dhenkanal Sadar range.
The wire was reportedly set up by a farmer to protect his millet crop. Forest officials have detained the accused farmer, Kailash Pradhan (42) of Bimbol village, in connection with the incident.
According to Dhenkanal divisional forest officer (DFO) Sumit Kar, the Tamunda forest area is known to be inhabited by elephants and is kept under regular monitoring. There is a light irrigation point near the forest, around 1 km from Bimbol village, which is used for farming.
“Some farmers had illegally drawn electric lines from the irrigation point to their crop fields to protect them from wild animals. Kailash misused the electric supply and extended the line into his field. A tusker passing through the route came in contact with the live wire and died on the spot,” Kar said.
After the incident came to light, forest officials, including Angul regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF) Sanjay Kumar Swain, DFO Kar and members of the joint task force reached the spot. The carcass of the tusker was buried on-site after autopsy. “Kailash has been detained and will be forwarded to court tomorrow,” Kar said.