**Jharsuguda**: An elephant was found dead near Teladihi village in Jharsuguda late on Sunday night. It died after coming in contact with a high voltage 11 KV wire. Another 6-month-old elephant calf was discovered dead in a pit just 20 metres away from the carcass of this elephant.
These carcasses of the pachyderms were discovered by the villagers who informed the forest officials. The team of forest department reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
However, forest officials said the exact reason of the pachyderm’s death would be known after an autopsy is conducted on it. “We will conduct an autopsy on the body. Further investigations are on,” said an official.
The villagers even offered flowers at the carcasses of the elephants as a mark of last tribute. It is suspected that both the animals died as they walked into the village area in search of food on Sunday night.
Sagging electric wire are one of the main reasons behind the death of jumbos in the State. Unavailability of food and water in the forests force the jumbos to enter the villages.Though there has been talks over the forest and energy departments co-ordinating to raise the height of electric poles to prevent sagging of wires, it still has a long way to go.
