Guwahati, Feb 10: An adult male gibbon was killed after being electrocuted by a high-tension electric wire near a railway track inside the Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary at Mariani in Assam’s Jorhat district.
Sources said the incident occurred when the gibbon attempted to leap from one tree to another while crossing the railway line that runs through the sanctuary. During the jump, the animal reportedly came into contact with a 25,000-volt overhead electric wire above the track, resulting in instant death. The gibbon was later found hanging from the wire near an electric pole. Forest officials confirmed the animal was an adult male.
Sources also alleged that there was an attempt by the Forest Department to keep the incident from public view, raising concerns over transparency, accountability and the adequacy of wildlife safety measures in areas where railway and power infrastructure intersect protected habitats.
