Elephant electrocuted in Ramanagara distt of Karnataka: Officials

Forest officials conducted the autopsy of the elephant on Wednesday and buried the body in the same spot

A wild elephant has been found electrocuted in Ramanagara district, officials said on Wednesday, making it the second death in a week of a tusker after a Dasara elephant died during a catching operation in Hassan district.

Officials said the electrocution of the elephant came to light on Wednesday as forest officials got the information that the accused landowner had buried the animal in his field by digging a pit. (HT Archives (for representation))

The incident, which took place on Sunday night, came to light on Wednesday after forest officials got the information that the accused landowner had buried the elephant in his field by digging a pit.

“Acting on a tip-off, we conducted a raid in the ragi field of the accused, K Nanjegowda, in Kodihalli in Kanakapura taluk,” said Ramanagara deputy conservator of forests B Ramakrishnaiah. “The accused took illegal power supply from an electric pole to protect his ragi crop from wild boars and connected the power line to the fence of the field. The 14-year-old pachyderm came in search of food and was electrocuted.”

“The accused hired a JCB, dug up a pit in his ragi field, and buried the elephant. However, we received information from our sources, conducted a search operation in the field, and found the cadaver,” said Kanakapura range forest officer N Dhalesh. “After the incident, the accused absconded, and we are searching for him,” he added. “We are yet to find the exact time of death; we suspect it might have occurred on Sunday,” he said.

The accused JCB driver is also absconding after the incident. “We have filed a case under the Wildlife Protection Act and submitted it to Kanakapura JMFC court. We are trying to arrest the accused,” he said.

Forest officials conducted the autopsy of the elephant on Wednesday and buried the body in the same spot. Kanakapura animal husbandry and veterinary department assistant director UC Kumar conducted the autopsy. Forest officials are investigating the incident.