An elephant has been found dead in a field in eastern India after villagers spent the night trying to drive a herd away from their homes. The animal's body was discovered near Tankura village in the state of Jharkhand on Wednesday morning.
Residents suspect the elephant may have been electrocuted, although the exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed and is expected to be established following a post-mortem examination.
Herd of 20 elephants entered village
Villagers said a herd of around 20 elephants had entered the area on Tuesday evening. They claimed they contacted the Forest Department and asked for help, but no one arrived, leaving residents to spend the night trying to move the animals away from the village.
The following morning, villagers discovered one of the elephants dead in a field near the settlement. Residents have since questioned the response of the Forest Department and called for an impartial investigation into the animal's death.
Recent elephant deaths in Jharkhand
The discovery is the latest in a series of elephant deaths reported in Jharkhand in recent weeks. On October 28, another elephant was found dead in a forest in Latehar, another district in the eastern Indian state.
Forest officials investigated the following day and suspected the animal may have died following a clash with another elephant. Earlier that month, a female elephant was discovered dead in a village in West Singhbhum, the same district where the latest death occurred.
Both of its tusks were missing, leading to suspicions that the elephant could have been targeted by poachers for ivory. Forest officials launched an investigation into the death.
Electric fencing and conflicts
Another elephant died in Jharkhand on September 7 after coming into contact with a live electric wire. A herd of around 15 elephants had moved towards farmland when one of the animals came into contact with electrified fencing being used to protect crops and homes. It died at the scene.
Reports say seven elephant deaths have been recorded in the West Singhbhum region over the past year.
Elephants are increasingly moving through villages close to forests across Jharkhand, bringing the animals into contact with people trying to protect their homes and crops. Some residents have resorted to electric fencing, including systems reportedly operating above prescribed limits or connected directly to mains electricity.
