A wild female elephant, around 15 years old, was found dead in the early hours of Saturday near the Sherpur-India border in Nalitabari upazila on early Saturday. Forest officials believe the animal was electrocuted by illegally set live wires, likely placed by locals to protect farmland.
The incident occurred around 3:30 AM at Uttor Katabari area, a known route for elephants crossing from the Indian side. According to local sources, a herd of 8–10 wild elephants had entered the area from Nakugaon the night before. While attempting to cross farmland, one elephant got caught in an electrified wire and died on the spot.
Villagers, awakened by the distressed cries of the remaining elephants, alerted forest officials. The Madhutila Range Office confirmed the incident shortly after. “We’ve long prohibited any kind of electric fencing or illegal power use in this border region, but some individuals continue to defy the rules,” said Dewan Ali, Range Officer of Madhutila.
He added, “Initial signs suggest the elephant died from electrocution. A postmortem will confirm the exact cause of death. A case will be filed under forest protection laws against those responsible.”
Local farmers often use power from generators to light up their fields at night — a method used to scare elephants away from crops. But in some cases, wires are deliberately charged with electricity, turning them into lethal traps.
This tragic death highlights the growing tension between human settlements and wildlife in border areas, where elephants frequently stray into villages and farmland in search of food — often with fatal consequences.