Elephant electrocuted in Assam, third death in 30 days

A wild elephant was electrocuted in Assam's Hojai district on Tuesday, taking the toll of electrocution deaths of jumbos in the state to three in a month, forest officials said.

According to the officials of Nagaon South Division, a male elephant aged around 45-46 years, died on the spot after coming in contact with a live wire in Nandanpur under Kapili Valley Range.

"Post mortem has been conducted and the details of the report are awaited," an official said.

On October 15 and 24, two elephants, including a lactating jumbo, died by electrocution in Golaghat and Goalpara districts.


At least 14 elephants have died this year in various parts of Assam due to illegal electric fences put up by farmers to protect their crops.

According to official records, over 91 elephants have been electrocuted in Assam between 2011 and 2019.

Electrocution, poisoning and natural calamities have also led to elephant deaths recently. In May, 18 jumbos were killed by a lightning strike in Nagaon district.


With the second largest elephant population in India after Karnataka (6049), Assam is home to 5,719 Asian elephants according to the last census conducted in 2017.

However, due to deforestation and fodder crisis, human-elephant conflict is rising in Assam. According to wildlife officials, 890 humans have died in human-elephant conflicts during the last 10 years in Assam, with Sonitpur district recording the highest deaths at 124, followed by Udalguri district at 118 and Goalpara district at 78.

This year itself, over 100 people including women, have died, so far, due to elephant attacks in various parts of Assam.-IANS