Bhubaneswar: A wild tusker died after suspected electrocution in Deogarh district, the second such case in a month, an official said on Wednesday. The sub-adult tusker was found dead in Rengalbeda section under Deogarh Forest Division on Wednesday morning.

“From preliminary investigation, it was suspected that the tusker died due to electrocution. However, the exact reason behind its death can be ascertained after post-mortem examination,” Deogarh DFO Rashmi G said. A team of experts from Bhubaneswar will visit the spot to conduct the autopsy of the wild elephant, she said.

The body of the tusker was found lying on the roadside near Kaunsitaila village on Wednesday morning.

The elephant is believed to have died after coming across a live wire fenced to protect paddy crops. It was alleged that some farmers have illegally connected the fencing to a live electricity line, which turn into a death trap for wild animals, locals said.

Usually, solar fencing is installed by farmers to protect their crops from elephants and other wild animals with a mild electric shock. It was the second such incident in the Reamal area in the district within a month. On September 12, another tusker died due to electrocution in Mahasindhu village under similar circumstances.

According to official data, at least seven elephants were electrocuted to death from April to September 15 of this year.