Jumbo dies in Tamil Nadu after coming in contact with electric fence, hunt on for farmer

This is the first wild elephant death due to electrocution this year and the second within three months in Coimbatore forest division
District Forest Officer D Venkatesh said they have registered a case against the farmer under the Wildlife Protection Act (Photo | Special arrangement)
District Forest Officer D Venkatesh said they have registered a case against the farmer under the Wildlife Protection Act (Photo | Special arrangement)

COIMBATORE: In yet another elephant death in Coimbatore forest division, a 20-year-old male jumbo was electrocuted at a farmland in Semmedu near Iruttupallam in the early hours of Tuesday.

Locals informed forest staff about the death following which they visited the grove owned by a farmer Durai at Semmedu and found that the animal came in contact with the electricity line connected with the steel wire fence which was set up around the paddy field near the Mullankadu forest beat coming under the Boluvampatti forest range.

The team visited the spot at 6.30 am, said forest officials. The farmland is located 2 km from Boluvampatti block II reserve forest.

District Forest Officer D Venkatesh said that they have registered a case against the farmer Durai under the Wildlife Protection Act and are looking out for him.

"The farmer had given power to his fence by stealing from a nearby electricity post. He escaped after removing a wire that was used for supplying power connection," the DFO added.

This is the first wild elephant death due to electrocution reported this year and the second within three months in Coimbatore forest division.

On November 18, a 30-year-old male elephant was electrocuted after it came in contact with an illegally set up electric fence at a private farmland at Puthukadu near Pethikkuttai coming under the Sirumugai forest range.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com