Two farmers arrested following elephant's death in Haridwar forest division

Haridwar, Oct 2 (PTI) Two farmers were arrested in connection with an elephant that was found dead, prima facie due to electrocution in the Haridwar forest division in Uttarakhand, officials said.

Officials said that a post-mortem examination is being conducted to determine the exact cause of death of the elephant. The body was found in a field in the Raighati area of ​​the Khanpur Range here on Monday.

This is the second elephant death in three days in the Khanpur Range. A dead elephant was also found in the Rasulpur forest beat of the range on September 26.

The forest department has banned the use of live electric wires in fields after the two elephant deaths.

Haridwar Divisional Forest Officer Swapnil Anirudh said that the elephant's carcass was found in the field of a farmer named Sompal in the Shah Mansoor beat, in which farmers had installed live electric wires.

Preliminary investigations suggest the elephant died from electrocution, he said.

Anirudh said a case has been filed against Vikram and Irfan, the farmers whose fields had live electric wires, and they have been arrested.

He said a post-mortem examination of the elephant's body is underway to determine the exact cause of death.

The forest officer said the cause of death of the elephant in Rasulpur beat has not been determined yet.

Anirudh said anyone found with live electric wires in their fields will be prosecuted and action will be taken against them. PTI DPT SKY SKY