Tragic Elephant Electrocution Highlights Growing Human-Wildlife Conflict in Coimbatore

A 25-year-old elephant died from electrocution after knocking down an electric pole near Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district early Thursday.

The incident occurred when the elephant wandered from its forest habitat into a farmland in Raman Kuttai near Kuppepalayam late Wednesday night.

According to Forest Department officials, the elephant collided with a high-voltage electric pole installed by the electricity board on the plantation's perimeter. The resulting live wire fell to the ground, causing immediate electrocution and killing the animal on the spot.

After being alerted about the incident, forest personnel and veterinarians quickly arrived at the scene. A post-mortem examination subsequently confirmed electrocution as the cause of death.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine whether inadequate electrical line maintenance may have contributed to this tragic outcome.

This event has deeply disturbed residents of Thondamuthur, an area experiencing increasingly frequent human-elephant encounters. Local inhabitants report that elephants regularly venture into agricultural lands and residential zones within the Thondamuthur forest range, damaging crops and creating fear among the population.

Recently, forest authorities captured and relocated a notorious elephant nicknamed "Rolex," known for repeatedly entering human settlements.

Officials stated they are implementing measures to enhance fencing, monitor elephant movements more effectively, and ensure safer power line installations in areas bordering forests, addressing the growing human-wildlife conflict in the region.