Bhubaneswar: A sub-adult tusker was found dead on the roadside near Kaunsitaila village in Rengalbeda section of Odisha’s Deogarh Forest Division on Wednesday morning.
This is the second such incident within a month in the same forest range.
According to locals, the tusker had been wandering in the area for the last few days and might have died after coming in contact with a solar-powered fence meant for protecting paddy crops. The fence was reportedly connected illegally to direct power lines, turning into a death trap for the jumbo.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the tusker died due to suspected electrocution. However, the exact reason can be ascertained only after a post-mortem examination,” Deogarh DFO Rashmi G told PTI.
A team of experts from Bhubaneswar will visit the spot to conduct the autopsy of the wild elephant, she added.