Karbi Anglong: In a devastating incident that has left the region in mourning, two female wild elephants were electrocuted to death after coming into contact with a live electrical wire in Assam’s Hojai-West Karbi Anglong district border.
The heartbreaking event occurred in Karikhana Bill Gaon, is a the sensitive Hojai-West Karbi Anglong border area, a known elephant corridor along the Kapili River. The elephants, part of a herd that frequently ventures from nearby forests in search of food, strayed into human settlements and agricultural fields. There, they encountered a “zatka machine” (an electric wire fencing device commonly used by farmers to protect crops) resulting in their instantaneous deaths.
This tragedy is not an isolated case. Human-elephant conflicts have surged in the Hojai and West Karbi Anglong border regions, where herds roam year-round in search of sustenance amid shrinking habitats and food scarcity. Similar incidents have plagued Assam, highlighting the urgent need for coexistence measures in elephant corridors.
Forest and veterinary department officials rushed to the scene and have initiated a thorough investigation. Preliminary findings point to exposed or poorly maintained power lines as the likely cause. “We are examining all aspects to ensure accountability,” a senior forest official stated.
In a firm commitment to wildlife protection, the department affirmed that legal action will be taken under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, with the culprits facing appropriate punishment. Authorities have urged immediate safety upgrades, to avert future losses.
Some conservationists and locals are calling for enhanced habitat restoration, community awareness programs, and stricter enforcement to safeguard Assam’s iconic elephant population. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragile balance between human development and wildlife preservation in the state.
