Elephant electrocuted

by Prasad Poornamal

An elephant who was electrocuted by a live wire supplying power to a nearby factory was killed at Eluwankulama yesterday making the elephant death toll reported from the area to seven within the past two months, Puttalam Police said.

The elephant is suspected to have strayed from Wilpattu sanctuary. Illegal poaching and clearing of the forest cover, robbing the animals of their grazing grounds have caused the elephants to stray out into the villages for food and water, police said.

The Police said they would take action against the factory owned by a multinational company if the death was found to be due to electrocution. Wild Life officials from Anuradhapura were due to perform the post mortem on the elephant last evening.