Elephant calf electrocution; farm owner arrested

TIRUNELVELI

The owner of a farm close to the Western Ghats, where a three-year-old elephant calf was electrocuted on Tuesday, was arrested on Wednesday.

As the farmer Subbiah, 63, of Kuththukkalvalasai near Kadayanallur had erected an electric fence around his farm near the Western Ghats, the elephant calf, which was part of an elephant herd invading into the farm in search of food and water, got electrocuted in the early hours of Tuesday.

On getting information, the forest department personnel including District Forest Officer K. Thirumal and forest veterinarian Sugumar visited the spot and conducted an on-the-spot post-mortem of the deceased animal.

Since it was found that Mr. Subbiah had electrified the fence with the power drawn from Tangedco power connection instead of solar power which led to the killing of the elephant calf, he was arrested based on a complaint from the forester Saravanan.

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