A tusker was electrocuted in Talcher Forest Range in Angul district on Tuesday.
The death of elephant is the second incident of deliberate electrocution in past 15 days in the district. The elephant body was found lying in Solanda Village on Friday. Body of a dog was also detected in the proximity.
When contacted Kishore Chandra Guru, assistant conservator of forest of Angul Forest Division, said “it was a clear case of deliberate electrocution. Some miscreants had laid trap to hunt wild boar for meat. The elephant had perhaps come in contact with the wire. Trunk of elephant had marks of electric shock.” Volunteers of Angul-based voluntary organisation, Nature Environment and Wildlife Societies (NEWS), also confirmed it to be an electrocution death.
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Two persons identified as Alok Barik and Golekh Barik were arrested in connection with the wildlife crime.
“It is matter of great concerns that pachyderms are getting killed after coming in contact with live electric wire. Miscreants have no idea as to how much loss they are causing by laying such trap,” Mr. Guru said. He, however, said trap was not laid with intention to rob the tusks as tusks remained intact.
Even though electrocution of animal was being reported regularly, joint patrolling by executives of forest department and power distribution companies in forest fringe villages was yet to be taken up. Electrocution was one of leading causes of elephant in Odisha.
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