Elephant electrocuted in Ganjam

--Wild jumbos’ rampage leaves Baleswar villages sleepless

BHUBANESWAR: Again an elephant was electrocuted on Friday night in Ganjam district when the elephant was crossing an electric line near a paddy field. It was happened at Mahaguda village under Mujagarh forest range in North Ghumusar forest division in the district.

According to officials of the electricity department, the elephant died when she came in contact with the live wire hanging from the unsafe distance due to the wild animals’ crash with the electric pole at the spot. On the other hand, the forest department and the electricity department have started reviewing the incident.

In Baleswar’s Nilagiri area, the wild jumbos have destroyed 250 acres of crop land and damaged 130 houses of nearby villages of the Nilagiri forest area. The forest officials could not drive away the pachyderms from the area, alleged the villagers of the area.

Some irate villagers ransacked the Sajanagarh forest office alleging the delay in driving away the elephants from their area. “We have engaged our forest guards and officials to drive away the jumbo, but some of the jumbos return to their previous place again which is the headache for us,” said Nilagiri ranger Rabindra Mohapatra.