Tragic Incident: Six-Year-Old Elephant Electrocuted in Sambalpur
Elephant Electrocution in Naktideula
A tragic event unfolded late Saturday night in Tikilipada village, located within the Sarapali forest beat of the Naktideul forest range in Sambalpur district, where a six-year-old female elephant lost her life due to electrocution. The incident occurred when the elephant came into contact with a solar fence that had been illegally connected to a high-voltage power line. Local farmers had reportedly ignored guidelines that permit only the use of solar fencing to deter elephants, leading to this unfortunate accident, according to forest officials. In response to the incident, authorities detained the villager responsible for the unauthorized connection.
On Sunday afternoon, a Special Task Force (STF) team from Bhubaneswar arrived at the scene to initiate an investigation. Reports suggest that elephants have been frequently entering Tikilipada village in recent days, causing damage to crops and property. The incident transpired when a herd of nine elephants wandered into the village on Saturday night. With assistance from forest staff and local residents, the herd was successfully guided back to the jungle. Tragically, while retreating through a scrub area adjacent to a paddy field, the female elephant encountered the live wire and was electrocuted around 2:30 AM.
Redhakhol Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Eliarasan K confirmed the occurrence. Senior officials from both the Forest and Power departments, including Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) T Ashok Kumar, Redhakhol DFO Eliarasan K, and Naktideul Range Officer Ashwini Kumar Behera, along with a veterinary team, visited the site on Sunday morning. A post-mortem examination of the elephant is scheduled for Monday, as stated by the DFO. This incident is not isolated; a similar case occurred previously when a female elephant died after touching a 33 KV transmission line near Chhatapada in the Ghosramal forest section on August 17, 2024.
Moreover, on November 18, 2024, three elephants were electrocuted in the Ghosramal forest section after stepping on an illegally installed power trap intended for wild boar poaching. Officials have indicated that these recurring incidents involving elephants underscore the pressing need for enhanced monitoring and increased public awareness regarding the hazards of illegal electrification in areas bordering forests.