Bhubaneswar, Feb 27: In a tragic incident, an elephant was found dead in the Athagarh forest range of Odisha’s Cuttack district on Thursday morning. The carcass was discovered near the Kulailo crusher field under the Athagarh range, raising concerns over increasing elephant fatalities in the region.

According to preliminary investigations, officials suspect that the elephant might have died due to electrocution. A team from the Athagarh Forest Division reached the spot and has begun an inquiry to determine the exact cause of death. The forest department is also examining whether illegal electric fencing or high-voltage transmission lines could have contributed to the incident.

This incident comes amid growing concerns over elephant deaths in Odisha. Recently, Forest Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia revealed in the Odisha Assembly that the state records an average of 81 elephant deaths annually. The major causes include electrocution, poaching, train and road accidents, human-wildlife conflict, and natural factors like aging and diseases. As elephants frequently stray into villages in search of food, conflicts between humans and elephants continue to rise. Authorities have assured that necessary measures will be taken to prevent such incidents.

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