Live Electric Wires Targeting Wild Animals Killing Humans in Adilabad

Recently, a Greyhound commando Ade Praveen of Narnoor in Adilabad got electrocuted and died while combing the forest in Bhoopalapalli district. He had come into contact with a live electric wire that poachers had put up targeting wild animals.

There have been incidents where people putting up live electric wires themselves get electrocuted, when they forget to switch off power supply before venturing into their fields on fringes of the forest.

Farmer Pendore Laxman, 60, of Bhuthai (K) village died of electrocution when he accidentally came into contact with a live wire in Bajarhathnoor area of Adilabad district on February 29.

Incidentally, poachers become active during summer and fix traps targeting antelopes around waterholes and water sources in forest areas and on outskirts of villages. Wild animals end up coming to these places for quenching their thirst due to the prevailing high temperatures.

Venkat Anagandula, coordination officer of erstwhile Adilabad district’s Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), disclosed that from 2016, nearly 72 persons have died of electrocution when they came into contact with live electric wires in erstwhile Adilabad district. He mentioned that there have been incidents, when even tigers have got electrocuted.

Unfortunately, neither police nor forest officials are taking a serious note of these electrocution incidents. Police pursue the case in such incidents only if somebody lodges a complaint.

However, in most cases, victims and accused compromise following the incidents. Accused who put up live wires offer money to the victim’s family and the deaths get hushed up.

Further, forest officials take a serious note of live wires being placed only when wild animals like big cats get electrocuted and die.