Two Jumbos Electrocuted in Assam's Baksa District

GUWAHATI: In a tragic incident, two adult female elephants died after coming in contact with a high-voltage electric fence in Assam's Baksa district near the Bhutan border on Friday night.

A forest official said on Saturday that the incident took place at Koroibari near the Batabari forest range. The jumbos came down from a hilly area in search of food and got electrocuted after they came in contact with an electric fence illegally installed around a paddy field, the official said.

A man, identified as Reshan Daimary, who had allegedly installed the electric fence around the paddy field to protect his crops, surrendered at the Singra police station. A probe in connection with the incident is underway and the man will be booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, the official said.

As per data, it was the third incident of electrocution of elephants in Assam this year. A total of 90 elephants have been electrocuted in the state from 2011 to 2019. Poisoning and natural calamities have also claimed the lives of a large number of elephants.

According to a forest department report, 18 elephants were killed in central Assam's Nagaon district after they were struck by lightning in May this year. An inquiry was also carried out to ascertain whether the pachyderms were killed by lightning or there was any foul play responsible. The state government had done consultation with national and international experts and organizations by submitting photographic and video evidence of the site and the carcasses. After analyzing all the details, it was confirmed that the elephants were killed by lightning.

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