As per state government estimates, 325 people and 70 elephants died in Chhattisgarh in the last five years, pointing to human-elephant conflict.

Days after three elephants were found dead in five days in the Surguja division, bodies of two more pachyderms were found in other parts of Chhattisgarh. In Raigarh district, an adult elephant was electrocuted, while in Dhamtari, a calf died after being stuck in the mud.

Two men have been arrested for allegedly leaving live wires exposed near their farm in Raigarh. According to Raigarh SP Santosh Singh, the two men, identified as Bhadoram Rathia and Bal Singh from Girisha village, had illegally used the live wires to run their farm borewell. “At around 05:00 am, as a herd of pachyderms was crossing through the village, the elephant was electrocuted and died,” Singh said.

Earlier on Tuesday, a calf died in Dhamtari district’s Madamsilli area. According to officials, a herd was passing through the Duban area when the calf got stuck in the mud on Monday night. “The herd tried to help him, even the forest department officials tried to help him out, but he was stuck deep in the mud, and died in the early hours of Tuesday,” a district official said.

Chhattisgarh has formed an SIT to probe the deaths of three female elephants in Surguja. Four forest officials in Balrampur were suspended for not being able to monitor the region properly.

As per state government estimates, 325 people and 70 elephants died in Chhattisgarh in the last five years, pointing to human-elephant conflict.