TURA: An adult male elephant moving through the Baghmara reserve forest was electrocuted early on Saturday morning after coming in contact with a powerful 11 KW transmission line that was passing through the reserve area.
The male pachyderm came in contact with the power line around 3.30 am, at a place called Bhawanipur, 6 kms from Baghmara, on the road towards Rongara. The electrical line passing through the forest region gives electricity to the Rangasora village area.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the elephant, which reportedly had cuts and sores in some parts of its body, may have tried to scratch itself to a fallen tree that had touched the power line.
This is not the first time animals, especially elephants, have died from human activities along its route. Vast stretches of the reserve forests in Baghmara and Rongara are home to dozens of herds of pachyderms that crisscross to and fro Baghmara forests and into the plains of neighbouring Bangladesh.
Several elephant tragedies have occurred in the recent past, a majority of deaths occurring from electrocution.
