Electrocution Claims Life of Majestic Elephant

A tragic incident was reported from Chittoor district on Monday after a wild elephant was electrocuted while venturing into agricultural fields in search of food, highlighting ongoing concerns over human–elephant conflict in forest fringe areas.

According to forest department officials , the deceased was a male elephant aged around 30 years , which had strayed from the Punganur forest area into the Palamaneru forest range . As part of its movement, the elephant entered farmlands near Kallupalli village in Gangavaram mandal , located just 300 metres from the forest boundary .

Officials said the elephant wandered into a mango orchard and nearby agricultural fields , where it accidentally came into contact with overhead live electric wires . Due to the high-voltage current , the animal collapsed and died on the spot. Farmers who noticed the elephant lying motionless immediately informed forest authorities.

On receiving information, Chittoor District Forest Officer G. Subburaj rushed to the scene along with his staff and conducted a detailed inspection. The elephant’s carcass was later shifted for a post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death. The forest department has also launched a detailed inquiry to determine whether the electrocution occurred due to negligence, illegal electrified fencing, or unsafe power lines in the agricultural area.

Forest officials stated that elephant movement has been reported frequently in the border regions of Chittoor district in recent days, forcing animals to stray into villages and farmlands due to shrinking forest habitats and food scarcity . As a precautionary measure, residents in nearby villages have been alerted, and coordination is being strengthened with the electricity department to identify and remove dangerous live wires .

The incident has renewed calls from wildlife experts for strict enforcement of safety norms , proper insulation of power lines near forest boundaries, and the creation of safe corridors to prevent wild animals from entering human habitations and to avoid such tragic incidents in the future.