Guwahati: Two elephants in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district died after accidentally coming into contact with high-voltage electric cables that were positioned close to the forest areas, officials said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Saturday morning in the East Digaru area of Karbi Anglong district when the elephants came out of the forest in search of food.
“Two elephants, including a female, accidentally came in touch with the electrical lines that were positioned close to an agricultural area. We are going to file a police complaint against the landowners since these electric wires were installed illegally,” a forest department official said.
“Although it is against the law, some people continue to place high-voltage electrical wires close to the forest regions,” the official added.
The locals informed the forest officials that they saw two elephants entangled in electrical lines. A team from the forest department rushed to the scene and turned off the high-voltage power lines.
“The elephants fell unconscious after touching the electric wires, and the forest officials announced later that both of them are dead,” a local resident said.
According to some locals, increasing movement of elephants is the reason they always live in fear.
“It is simple to point fingers at us from outside, but the situation we are in makes it possible for wild elephants to kill any one of us, anywhere. Thus, we must defend ourselves,” a local resident said.
Earlier this month, a herd of wild elephants was reportedly attacked a community in search of food, resulting in the deaths of four people, including two children, in the same district.
–IANS