Elephant calf electrocuted in north Bengal forest

Kolkata, June 24 (IANS) An elephant calf was electrocuted to death in West Bengal’s Jaldapara National Park in Alipurduar district on Wednesday.

According to state forest department officials, an elephant herd came from the northern range of Jaldapara forest and entered a betel nuts grove near the East Madarihar area.

During the same time, a tree fell down on electric wires which got snapped. The elephant calf came in contact with the live wire and got electrocuted to death, officials said.

Later, the villagers chased away the elephant herd back into the forest to avert any further casualty before informing the local forest officials.

This was the third incident of elephant death in the doors region, the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, since June 16. Earlier, another elephant was killed in Nurpur village in Buxa forest area.

–IANS

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