Ranchi, Nov 12 — In another incident of wildlife tragedy, an elephant died after coming into contact with a sagging high-voltage power line in Jharkhand's Khunti district on Thursday morning, officials said.
The incident took place in Tetari village under the Rania police station area in Khunti. The elephant's carcass was found in bushes near a government girls' middle school.
Forest department officials, police personnel, and electricity department teams rushed to the spot after receiving information and launched an investigation.
According to villagers, the accident took place at around 5 a.m. The elephant was reportedly moving towards the village from the Koel River side when it came into contact with an 11,000-volt power line hanging unusually low over the path. The animal died on the spot following the impact of the electric shock.
Villagers discovered the carcass in the bushes later in the morning. The news of the incident quickly spread across the region, drawing large crowds to the site.
After locals informed forest officials and the Rania police about the incident, teams from the Forest Department and police inspected the area. Employees of the Electricity Department also arrived at the scene.
Investigation into the unfortunate incident is currently underway.
The tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of animals that pass by the power lines through forested and rural areas.
Meanwhile, a herd of around a dozen elephants has been roaming the forests and nearby villages of Rania block in Khunti for the past two months, according to villagers. The herd frequently strays out of the forest into rural settlements. Their incursions into farmlands have caused significant crop damage, and there have also been reports of damage to houses in some areas.
As a result, local residents remain concerned about the frequent movement of elephants in the region. In the past two months alone, seven elephants have died in separate incidents across Jharkhand.
In a similar incident reported from West Bengal in September, the carcasses of three elephants -- a mother elephant and her two calves -- were spotted in a paddy field at Salboni in West Midnapore district.
An initial investigation had suggested that the three elephants came in contact with a high-tension electricity wire.
According to local sources, a herd of elephants was passing through the village. An electric pump was installed to irrigate the farmland, with a live wire passing through the land. It is believed that the three elephants died after touching the wire and getting electrocuted.