Elephant electrocuted

Coimbatore: A male elephant was electrocuted in Nellidurai in Mettupalayam woodland range on early Sunday morning.

Initially, it was suspected that the elephant, which was just about 30-year-old, died of suffocation after it fell into a elephant evidence trench (EPT). However, the post-mortem studies on Sunday night concluded that the elephant was electrocuted.

A senior legit of the woodland division stated, "The elephant died during the wee hours of Sunday. The department officers who were patrolling in the area around 10.30am informed us."

Another woodland division legit stated, "Initially it looked like the elephant fell into the trench and died of suffocation." He added, "Later, when post-mortem reports concluded that it died of electrocution we realized that it fell into the trench due to electrocution."

The area is frequented through elephants, the woodland officers stated. "Last year, two elephants died in the same region (within a 5km radius)," the legit stated. The reside twine that electrocuted the elephant is claimed to be placing from a pole that was set to stop entry of elephants, they added.