A 15-year-old elephant died after being electrocuted when it came into contact with a power-line in Bitherkad forest range in Gudalur on Thursday morning.
Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Conservator of forests (Nilgiris), D. Venkatesh, stated that the death was due to accidental causes.
He said an electric power line runs along the road from Bitherkad to Patavayal, and on the left side of that road was a coffee estate. Areca nut trees are grown between the coffee plants in the estate, which had attracted the elephant to the area.