In a shocking incident, an adult male elephant suspected to have died after coming into contact with an illegal live electric wire near Salboni Vikas Bharati, under the Lodhasuli Forest Range in West Bengal, right along the Jharkhand border, it is learnt.

Reports claimed that the tragedy has created a sense of anger among people who protested against the death of this elephant. 

Incidentally, local villagers and wildlife activists, cribbed as it was the third electrocution death of elephant along this vital migration corridor within the last year.

A report said that a wild herd entered the Salboni area late Monday night in search of food. While moving through the terrain, one of the elephants brushed against high-voltage live fencing. 

As per the same report,farmers had ‘illegally’ strung the wire around an agricultural field near the Vikas Bharati campus to keep wild animals away from their crops.

Villagers discovered the massive carcass early Tuesday( May 19,2026) morning and immediately informed authorities. A team from the Lodhasuli Forest Range rushed to the site to recover the body and record the inquiry.

Forest Department officials confirmed that prima facie evidence points directly to electrocution, though they await final post-mortem results for absolute confirmation. While authorities registered a case against unidentified persons under the Wildlife Protection Act, locals and conservationists blame systemic administrative failure.

“The authorities failed to implement safety measures along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border despite knowing this is an active, heavy-traffic zone near the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary,” a local resident stated.