Dhenkanal: Three elephants, including a calf, were apparently electrocuted after coming in contact with a sagging electric cable at Borapada forest in Dhenkanal district. The matter came to light on Saturday when some locals, who had gone to the forest to collect firewood, spotted the carcasses and informed forest officials.
The carcasses of three elephants – two adult females and one calf – were found decomposed and forest officials suspected that they might have died two to three days ago.
The elephants might have rubbed against the high voltage wire while looking for fodder and died on the spot, said a villager, adding the local electricity office should constantly monitor the live wires passing through the forest.
“I have asked the electricity department to probe whether the jumbos died coming in touch with electric wire,” said Energy Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick.