Dhenkanal:In a deplorable incident, at least seven wild elephants were killed after coming in contact with live electric wire at Kamalanga under Motanga police limits in the district last night.
The incident came to light after some locals spotted the pachyderm carcasses near the village this morning and informed forest officials from Parjang.
Though the height of the wire should be at 15-feet, it was laid at a height of only 8-feet, said one of Villager
As per the report, the mishap took place late in the night while a herd of wild jumbos had sneaked into the nearby areas of the village in search of food. Unknowingly, a number of elephants came in contact with the low hanging Live 11kv electric wire laid by the railway department for track construction work.
Meanwhile tension has gripped the area, as locals held forest departments responsible for the incident.
Forest officials have reached the spot to examine under what circumstances the electrocution took place.
Notably, elephants are electrocuted often in Odisha as they come into human habitations in search of food. In forest-fringe areas, live electric wires remain sagging at many places. The pachyderms come in contact with these low-hanging live wires and die. Unavailability of food and water in forests force the jumbos to come to villages.
