Tragic Elephant Electrocution Incident Leads to Arrests as Illegal Electric Fences Unravel

In a tragic incident at Bandapara range of Kamrup forest division in Hahim on January 17, 2024, an adult elephant met a grim fate by electrocution after encountering an unlawful electric fence erected to protect a Banana garden. Forest Department officers apprehended four individuals, identified as Haravilas Rabha, Abhijit Rabha, Praneshwar Rabha, and Basudev Rabha, for constructing fences with live electric connections, violating forest rules. The detainees have been placed in judicial custody.

The incident highlights the perilous consequences of illegal electric fencing, a practice intended to safeguard crops from elephants and other wildlife. In response to such incidents, efforts were underway to insulate power lines above elephant corridors in the state. Last year, 326 km of power lines in 19 locations were being insulated at an estimated cost of Rs 110 crore to prevent electrocution deaths.

Since 2021, around 100 elephants in the state have lost their lives due to electrocution. Despite the initiation of electric fencing to deter elephant depredation, the illegal use of high-power domestic lines instead of low-intensity direct current has resulted in fatal consequences, emphasizing the need for stricter enforcement and public awareness.