3 Wild Elephants Electrocuted by Illegal Fence in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Three female wild elephants were electrocuted while they were crossing an illegal fence in the Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu on Monday night. The incident occurred in Kali Kounder Kottai village in Marandahalli in Dharmapuri.

They were electrocuted by an illegal fence put up by a farmer to save his crops from wild boars. But forest officials were able to save the lives of two elephant calves that were part of this elephant herd by disconnecting the electricity supply to the illegal fence.

The incident happened at around 10.30 pm on Monday night. A 67-year-old farmer K.Murugesan was arrested in connection to these elephant deaths.

According to forest officials, the dead elephants were around 30 years old. To protect the agricultural field from wild boars; the said farmer had lined the field with naked metal wire connected to the power supply.

A few weeks ago, an elephant was similarly electrocuted by an illegal fence in Denkanikottai in neighbouring Krishnagiri district.