Two elephants, one each in Erode and Krishnagiri districts, died of electrocution on Sunday and one more elephant died in Krishnagiri district after giving birth to a calf. With this, the number of elephants that were electrocuted to death in western Tamil Nadu so far this year has gone up to six.
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According to Forest Department officials, a female elephant, aged around 10 years, that came out of Neganur reserve forest in Krishnagiri district on Sunday entered a poultry farm at Thavarakarai. It accidentally bit a wire that was attached to an electric motor on the farm and suffered electric shock. The elephant died on the spot. Forest Department officials, who reached the spot on receiving information from local people, informed officials of the Electricity and Revenue Departments about the incident.
In Erode district, a female elephant was found dead on Sunday after it reportedly came in contact with an illegal electric fencing at Ikkalur village near Thalavadi forest range. Erode district forest officials, who came to the spot, conducted inquiries and identified Madevasamy, a farmer in the village, as the person who had erected the illegal fencing. The officials took Madevasamy and two more farmers in the locality for investigation.
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A cross-section of local villagers staged a protest and urged the Forest Department to release the three farmers. They claimed that an electric fence had not been erected in the village. The officials held talks with them.
In a different incidnet, a female elephant died after giving birth to a calf at Ulibanda Reserve Forest in Krishnagiri district. Forest Department officials took care of the calf. Veterinarians fed it and provided treatment. The officials said steps were being taken to perform post-mortem on the two elephants that died in separate incidents in Krishnagiri district.
In March this year, three elephants died of electrocution in Dharmapuri district. Around 10 days ago, an elephant was electrocuted to death at Gudalur in the Nilgiris district.