Wild elephant electrocuted after touching overhead wire in MP's Maihar district

Maihar, Nov 29 (PTI) A wild elephant was on Friday found electrocuted in Maihar district of Madhya Pradesh after apparently coming in contact with a high-tension overhead electricity wire, a forest official said.

The dead tusker was found in Mukundpur range, four kilometres from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve where ten wild elephants died recently after consuming some poisonous substance, he said.

The elephant appeared to have raised its trunk while under an overhead electricity wire at Machwatola village, resulting in on-the-spot death, Maihar Sub Divisional Officer of Forest Yashpal Mehra told PTI.

There was a strong possibility that it had wandered to the area from the BTR, the official said, adding that the tusker was part of a herd of three. The other two elephants returned to the nearby jungles after the incident, he added.

"We were monitoring the area and tailing the elephants after receiving information about their movement," Mehra said.

"I think it got electrocuted around 3.30 am. We got information about it at 6.30 am," he said.

A team of veterinarians from Panna Tiger Reserve had reached the spot to conduct an autopsy, Mehra informed. PTI LAL KRK