4 elephants got electrocuted in Manyam district

Parvathipuram : In a heart wrenching incident, four elephants got electrocuted in Katragadda village in Bhamini mandal in the district on Friday. Four elephants out of six died on the spot after touching an unprotected electric transformer. The remaining two elephants are roaming in the cashew orchards nearby under the Manumakonda forest area. Based on the information from locals, Parvathipuram-Manyam divisional forest officer G R P Prasuna, Srikakulam DFO Nisha Kumari and other forest officials reached the spot and inspected the deceased wild elephants. They launched the procedure for post-mortem with the help of veterinarians and chief conservator of forest, Visakhapatnam. A herd of six elephants including two male tuskers entered the Bhamini mandal in Parvathipuram district through Vamsadhara river on February 7. The herd has been creating havoc in Seethampeta agency by destroying standing crops like sugarcane, banana, maize, paddy and other horticulture crops. The herd entered into one Bommika Minnarao’s fields in Katragadda revenue limits and destroyed the standing crops. Later, the herd tried to destroy the electric transformer. However, four elephants out of six died on the spot after touching the live wires. On being alerted by villagers, Parvathipuram -Manyam and Srikakulam forest officials rushed to the spot. Palakonda range forest officer Thavitinaidu said the herd entered Bhamini mandal from Odisha. “The herd has been trying to destroy the electric transformer on the outskirts of Katragadda village in Bhamini mandal on early hours Friday. However, four elephants out of six were electrocuted. The remaining two strayed into the cashew orchards on the outskirts Pakudibadra. We have launched the procedure for post-mortem,” he said.