Tusker hits electricity pole, electrocuted to death
A 19-year-old elephant was electrocuted as cables fell on it after the animal hit an electric pole in an ST colony near Madavapuram
Nellore: A 19-year-old elephant was electrocuted as cables fell on it after the animal hit an electric pole in an ST colony near Madavapuram village in Tavanampalle mandal early on Saturday.
Chittoor West district forest officer S. Ravisankar said that the elephant would have been safe had the cables been insulated. "We have been regularly asking the electricity department to ensure that electric cables are insulated, in order to protect the elephants and other animals from electrocution. Though they have used insulated cable wires in the ST Colony consisting of 15 houses, they have ignored it outside the habitation."
He said that the tusker was nearly 19 years old and it would have been very useful as Kumki, a trained elephant used to trap or rescue wild tuskers, if it was picked up for training.
Ravisankar added that they have buried the elephant after performing a post-mortem at the location where it was found dead. Forest staff and locals garlanded the carcass and paid their respects after the burial.