Search on for farmer after elephant electrocuted

The farmer, who erected an illegal electric fencing around a paddy field at Semmedu near Pooluvapatti, which led to the electrocution of a tusker early on Tuesday morning, remained at large on Wednesday.

The Forest Department said that the farmer named Durai (55) alias Aruchamy, a resident of Thennamanallur near Thondamuthur, and his wife absconded soon after the incident.

District Forest Officer D. Venkatesh said that Durai has been cultivating paddy in a leased land at Semmedu around which he erected the illegal electric fencing.

“The power line was drawn from the nearby property which is in the name of Durai’s wife. The Electricity Department suspended the power connection,” he said.

Mr. Venkatesh said that special teams were formed to nab Durai who was booked for wildlife offence.

Though the Forest Department was planning to conduct the post-mortem of the tusker aged around 20 at the farm field itself, people from the locality opposed the move.

The carcass was taken to the Forest Department’s elephant camp at Chadivayal where it was autopsied on Tuesday evening.