Two elephants electrocuted in Karbi Anglong

DIPHU — In a tragic incident, two adult wild elephants, a male and a female, were electrocuted at Pukdhekhora under the Dokmoka Range of the East Forest Division in Karbi Anglong district on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred when elephant herds from the adjoining Hojai district entered the paddy field at Pukdekhora in Karbi Anglong district and two elephants stumbled upon a live electric wire. The wire was installed to keep elephants and wild boars from destroying the crop.

After receiving news, Ritesh Enghi, Executive Member for Tourism and Water Resources of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the Member of Autonomous Council for Nonmati, along with Dr. Vinay Gupta, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) for Karbi Anglong, and others, visited the site.

The EM told reporters that the matter had been reported to Chief Executive Member (CEM), KAAC Tuliram Ronghang, and that a discussion had taken place with Forest officials, who were instructed to conduct an investigation into how the elephants were electrocuted.

Gupta highlighted that installing electric fencing in paddy fields is illegal. He expressed concern that while elephants were the victims today, humans could be at risk in the future. He added that the elephants’ carcasses would be buried following a postmortem examination.

An FIR in this regard has been filed.