Maha: ‘13 killed in 21 months due to illegal electric fences around farms’

Chandrapur: Thirteen people have died over 21 months due to electric fences put up illegally to protect standing crops from wild animals in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, police said on Saturday.

Of the deaths that occurred in the last 21 months, four victims were farmers, an official said.

Farm owners have been installing electric fences illegally without following a proper procedure to protect standing crops in the district, which is home to dense forests, the official said.

As per a release issued by the office of the superintendent of police on Friday, people have lost their lives unnecessarily due to the illegal connection of electric wires around farms.

At least 13 people have died in 21 months because of the illegal electric fences put up by farm owners and 12 cases have been registered under section 304 (culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code with regard to these incidents, the release said.

Six deaths were reported in 2022 and seven persons have died so far this year, it said.

Superintendent of Police Ravindrasingh Pardeshi has warned of strict action against farm owners who install electric fencing to protect their standing crops, it stated.