COIMBATORE: A 15 year old wild tusker died of electrocution after it came into contact with an overhead electric line while pulling down a tree branch in Kunjapanai near Kotagiri on Saturday.

Around 8am, the elephant plucked jack fruits from a tree in the ‘patta’ land of one Puliyan at Neelangadu village in Kotagiri forest range.

“After consuming some jack fruits, the elephant knocked down a tree, which got uprooted. One of its branches fell on an overhead cable, which snapped and fell on the elephant resulting in its electrocution. The elephant died on the spot,” said a forest department official.

On receiving information, a team of forest department staff led by S Gowtham, District Forest Officer, rushed to the spot and informed the TNEB to temporarily disconnect the power supply. A post mortem was done by Rajesh Kumar, veterinarian at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and its carcass was burnt. Further inquiries are on.