Illegal electric fence kills 3 jumbos in Tamil Nadu

DHARMAPURI: Three female elephants were electrocuted after they accidentally touched an illegal electric fence on a farm near Marandahalli in Dharmapuri district in the early hours of Tuesday.
Later, some villagers in Paraikottai spotted the carcasses and alerted forest officials in Palacode. Preliminary investigation revealed that a herd of five elephants including two young ones had entered the farmland. Three female elephants came in contact with live wires on the fence installed there and died.
The land belonged to 45-year-old farmer K Murugan. A forest official said, “The farmer had taken an illegal power connection from an electric pole nearby.” Forest officials arrested Murugan based on his confession. He was produced before the Pennagaram sub-court which sent him to 15-day judicial custody. He was lodged at the Salem central prison. The carcasses were sent for an autopsy and later buried inside the forest area. T