Elephant electrocuted in Polonnaruwa, investigation begins

By Nimal Jayaratne  

The Department of Wildlife and the Polonnaruwa Police have initiated investigations into the death of a wild elephant in a seed farm belonging to the Department of Agriculture in Polonnaruwa.  

Wildlife officers in Polonnaruwa recovered the carcass on Saturday following information received from the Polonnaruwa Police.  They said the jumbo had been electrocuted.  HQI of Polonnaruwa Police, P.P.K. Pathirana, said that the occupant of the official quarters of the seed farm has fled the area, and he would be taken in for questioning. The HQI said that wildlife officers are conducting investigations with the help of the police to trace his whereabouts.  

A senior Wildlife Officer said the well-grown elephant was about 35 years old, and that an unsafe electric fence around the seed farm may have caused its death.