Pregnant wild elephant dies after electrocution in Assam's Goalpara while foraging for food near human settlement

A pregnant wild elephant died after being electrocuted in the Mornoi area of Assam's Goalpara district after it reportedly came into contact with a live electric wire while entering a village in search of food, officials said.

According to reports, the lone elephant entered the village on Wednesday night from a nearby forested area. While moving through the locality, the animal accidentally came into contact with an electric wire, resulting in fatal electrocution.

Forest Department personnel rushed to the spot during the night and recovered the carcass. A preliminary investigation was conducted on Thursday morning to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officials later carried out a post-mortem examination, which confirmed that the deceased elephant was pregnant. Following the examination, the elephant was buried along with its unborn calf in accordance with established wildlife protocols.

The incident has highlighted the continuing challenges of human-elephant interactions in Assam, where wild elephants frequently venture into inhabited areas in search of food, often leading to accidents and fatalities.

Forest authorities are continuing their inquiry into the incident and are expected to examine the source and condition of the electric line involved in the animal's death.