📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mike Dickison
Local
Elephant Dies After Touching Low‑Hanging Live Power Line in Jharkhand
✍️ Mid-Day
🗓 14 Nov 2026, 04:17 AM
👁 24
A wild elephant in Jharkhand was found dead after it contacted a low‑lying live electric wire, officials said.
Ranchi district officials reported that a lone adult elephant was discovered lifeless near a forest fringe after it came into contact with a low‑hanging live electric wire. The animal was found by forest‑department workers who immediately cordoned off the area and notified the state wildlife board.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the wire, part of a recent rural electrification project, was installed at a height lower than the typical clearance required for wildlife movement. The power line is now being inspected by the Jharkhand Electricity Board to prevent further incidents.
The death has raised concerns among conservationists, who warn that expanding infrastructure without adequate wildlife safeguards can lead to more such tragedies. The state forest department has announced a review of existing power‑line clearances in elephant corridors and will coordinate with utility providers to raise wires where needed.
No other casualties were reported, and the incident is being recorded as an accidental wildlife fatality. Authorities have urged local communities to report any similar hazards promptly.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the wire, part of a recent rural electrification project, was installed at a height lower than the typical clearance required for wildlife movement. The power line is now being inspected by the Jharkhand Electricity Board to prevent further incidents.
The death has raised concerns among conservationists, who warn that expanding infrastructure without adequate wildlife safeguards can lead to more such tragedies. The state forest department has announced a review of existing power‑line clearances in elephant corridors and will coordinate with utility providers to raise wires where needed.
No other casualties were reported, and the incident is being recorded as an accidental wildlife fatality. Authorities have urged local communities to report any similar hazards promptly.