Three elephants electrocuted in Jhargram

Kolkata: Three elephants died due to electrocution at Binpur in Jhargram district in the wee hours on Wednesday. Local sources said the jumbos were electrocuted through a high tension electric cable that was allegedly dangling a little above the ground level.

The three elephants – a male and two female — had strayed into Satbanki village in Binpur and while the villagers were trying to drive them away in the forest towards Jharkhand when they got electrocuted. "The high tension wire of the state Power department was lying in such condition for more than three months. We have urged the local power department officials to take steps to fix the wires properly. But nothing has been done," a villager alleged.

State Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay termed the deaths as unfortunate. "There is an elephant corridor from Binpur to Belpahari and the animals cross over through this route. There were 22 elephants and three of them were struck by a 11KV high tension cable. I have sought report from the Zilla Parishad as well as the state Forest department," Chattopadhyay said.

A senior forest official in the district said that they will speak to the state Power department and will take measures in removing the high tension cables to prevent such incidents.

Jhargram Divisional Forest Officer Basavraj said an investigation has been ordered into the incident.

The carcass of the jumbos were lifted with the help of cranes and were brought to the Badarbhola beat office.